
ClassIExXn-- 



mw 



COPYRIGHT DEPOStC 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY 
CAME TO ALPHA 



J. H. ALLEN 




CINCINNATI 

THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY 



I 

HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY 
CAME TO ALPHA 




A story designed to show how the Christian people of a small 

town threw off the yoke of denominationalism, and, b^ 

combining their strength and energy and means, 

built up a church that became an honor to 

Christ and a blessing to the whole 

town and the community 

surrounding. 



Ij^ 



By JfH. ALLEN 




CINCINNATI 

THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY 



Copyright, 1921, by 
The Standard Publishing Company 






MftR »5 1921 

0)CI,A611138 



A- 



i- 



T^O the cause of New 
Testament Christianity 
and to **all who love our 
Lord Jesus Christ in sincer- 
ity," is this volume humbly 
dedicated. 



CONTENTS 

FAGS 

CHAPTER I. 

Gertrude Lane Reaches a Decision. 

Tte villagers' dream — Friction between the churclies — 
Gertrude Lane studies the subject of baptism and unites 
with the Baptist Church 9 

CHAPTER n. 

Denominationalism Dividing Families. 

Mrs. Drew breaks the news to Mrs. Fowler — Evelyn Drew 
unites with the Methodist Church-^John Drew lectures his 
wife — ^All attend the baptism of Gertrude Lane 22 

CHAPTER m. 

The Vine and the Branches. 

One of the difficulties of a divided Christendom — At 
the Methodist Church — A sermon on ' ' The Vine and Its 
Branches'' — Mr. Lane reasons with his pastor 34 

CHAPTER IV. 

The New Preacher. 

Gertrude Lane has an interview with Bro. Sims — Ser- 
vices at the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches — Bro. 
Birch, the Christian preacher 42 

5 



CONTENTS 



PAGB 

CHAPTER V. 
Back to Christ and His Word. 

Bro. Birch, preaches at the Methodist Church — Explains 
the nature of the work which Alexander Campbell attempted 
to do — Mr. Watson, John Drew and the Hughes fanuly all 
make the "good confession" 51 

CHAPTER VI. 

Baptism op John Drew and Others. 

Mr. Lane has an interview with Bro. Birch — Mr. Drew 
tells what kept him out of the church so long — Mr. Blair de- 
fends the Hughes family — The baptismal service 65 

CHAPTER Vn. 

Paving the Way for Union. 

Bro. Birch discourses on the subject of "Christian 
Union" — The subject becomes the chief topic of conversa- 
tion — A heated discussion in the bank — Messrs. Lane and 
Sims take the initiative in the matter of calling a mass- 
meeting 75 

CHAPTER Vni. 

The Editor and Christian Union. 

Mr. Combs, editor of the Alpha WeeTcly, heartily indorses 
the movement and supports it through his paper — Bro. Clark 
(Methodist) ex^periences a change of heart and indorses 
the movement — Bro. Mason (Baptist) opposes it 85 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Mass-meetinq. 

The Baptist Church, being too small to accommodate the 
crowd, the mass-meeting is held at the Fair Grounds — Ad- 
dress by Mr. Middleton 93 

6 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

CHAPTER X. 

Points of Agreement. 

Mr. Combs, the editor, delivers an address on tlie sub- 
ject: '* Facts Concerning Wliicli We All Agree*' 108 

CHAPTER XI. 

Feeling the Sentiment of the Audience. 
Discussing th.e proposition, both pro and con 117 

CHAPTER Xn. 

The Name. 

Mr. Sims offers a resolution in order to test the union 
sentiment — The resolution is adopted by an overwhelming 
majority — The question of name is discussed 124 

CHAPTER Xin. 

Discovering the Foundation. 

Doctrinal differences — Bro. Birch points out the path- 
way to union . 136 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Removing the Barriers. 

Bro. Birch explains how the whole-hearted acceptance of 
the truth that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living 
God," will remove the barrier growing out of the several 
modes of baptism ~ 146 

CHAPTER XV. 

Trine Immersion. 

Trine immersion — The apostles the interpreters of 
Christ 's will for us 154 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Apfusion. 

Anotlier phase of the bajptismal question — Sprinkling 
and pouring substitutes for Christian baptism 167 

CHAPTER XVn. 

Each Church Discusses the Matter. 

A baptismal service — The several churches hold separate 
meetings to ascertain the sentiment of their members with 
respect to iinion 187 

CHAPTER XVni. 

Four Churches Agree to Unite. 

Reports from the meetings of the previous evening — 
Four churches agree to unite — The brethren decide to retain 
their own organization — 195 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Organization. 

The new organization — A building committee appointed 
— Mission stations established — A charity fund created — 
The new building completed 204 

CHAPTER XX. 

The Dedication. 

Thanksgiving Day — Dedication of the new building — ^The 
brethren capitulate — Charity fund increased 215 

CHAPTER XXL 

The Church at Work. 

A great brotherhood — ^Ministering to the needy 231 

8 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME 
TO ALPHA 

CHAPTER I. 
GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

THE building of the trans- State railroad put new 
life into the inhabitants of the little village of 
Alpha. Indeed, from the very day the surveying corps 
passed through the village and left behind them a row 
of stakes, marking the company's right-of-way, the 
people of the village began to dream dreams and see 
visions of the little village, growing first into a town, 
and then into a city, with, perhaps, miles of paved 
streets and electric cars running to and fro. In their 
imagination they could almost hear the noise and din 
of the daily traffic : the throbbing of the great engines 
in the power-house and in the water-plant, the clatter 
of horses' hoofs and rattle of vehicles, as rival firms 
sent them here and there to deliver their wares. 

But twenty years have passed away since the steel 
rails were laid through the village and trains began 
to make their daily visits, and, while the villagers' 
dream of a great city has not yet been realized, and, 
perhaps, never will be, yet the little village of twenty 
years ago has grown into a town with more than a 
thousand inhabitants, representing from a moral stand- 
point the two great classes of good and evil. The good, 
however, have always been largely in the majority, 

9 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

as is evidenced by the fact that certain "lewd fellows 
of the baser sort" had tried upon several occasions 
to induce the taxpayers to permit them to open a 
saloon, claiming that such an institution would help 
the town to grow; but their answer was always an 
uncompromising ''No." *'No, " they said, ''nothing 
helps a town to grow so much as righteousness, work 
and money; and our people will be more righteous, 
do more work and make more money without a saloon 
than with one." With that fact firmly grounded in 
their minds and hearts, they had defeated every effort 
to legalize the sale of intoxicating liquors, and Alpha 
had long enjoyed the reputation of being a very desir- 
able and pleasant place in which to live. Indeed, but 
for the friction between the churches, it would have 
been considered by many a veritable paradise, lacking 
only the gulf to separate them from those who found 
pleasure in sin. But that friction was there, and for 
years the people had endured it, under the delusion 
that it was a necessary evil. "You see," they said, 
"we can't all see alike, and hence we must have sepa- 
rate houses in which to worship." And several times 
in the history of the town the people had responded 
to the call for m^oney to build churches, until four 
church-houses stood within the corporate limits of the 
little town, and four preachers made monthly or semi- 
monthly visits to teach the people the way of life, 
according to their respective creeds or church tenets. 

The inevitable result of four men preaching con- 
flicting doctrines in the same town was to stir up the 
party spirit. In fact, so strong had that spirit grown, 

10 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

that each, preacher had little opportunity of preaching 
to other than his own members. It is true there were 
a few who had risen above the party spirit to that 
extent they were willing to hear all, and it was due 
largely to the influence of that broad-minded few that 
a visible and organic union was at last effected be- 
tween the several churches of the town. 

For some time, as opportunity presented itself, they 
had been pointing out to their brethren the evils of a 
divided church, and holding up before them the bene- 
fits to be derived from an organic union. 

It was not, however, until after Gertrude, the 
nineteen-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lane, had 
united with the Baptist Church that any definite steps 
were taken in that direction. Mr. Lane was a steward 
in the Methodist Church, and no man in the town was 
held in higher esteem than he, because of his integrity 
and good moral and religious character. It was, how- 
ever, with no disrespect to her father that Gertrude 
had taken this step. She had talked the matter over 
with him before the step was taken, and in that con- 
versation had called his attention to the fact that, 
after she had fully decided to become a Christian, the 
question of baptism confronted her. "You see, 
father," she said, ''I found myself debating the ques- 
tion whether I should be sprinkled or immersed. My 
natural inclination was to be sprinkled, for, to my 
mind, that seemed the easier and most convenient way. 
But when, under the spell of deep conviction, I reread 
the story of Christ's life on earth, and noted the severe 
trials, difficulties and hardships which He willingly 

11 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

endured in order to perfect the plan of redemption; 
especially when I considered the trials of the last 
week of His life — His agony in the Garden of Geth- 
semane, His mock trial before Pilate, His wearing the 
crown of thorns, His fainting beneath the cross, His 
agony upon the cross — and realizing that it was for 
me He endured such suffering, I resolved that the 
question of ease or convenience should in no way influ- 
ence my conduct toward Him, but that henceforth the 
prayer of my heart should be, 'Lord, what wilt thou 
have me do?' and, with that prayer upon my lips, I 
turned to His word for guidance. I examined every 
passage relating to the subject of baptism, and the 
result of my investigation was that I became fully 
convinced that baptism, as taught by Christ and prac- 
ticed by His apostles, was the immersion in water 
of a penitent believer in Christ, and I shall never feel 
that I have obeyed that command of my Lord until, 
in the language of the apostle Paul, I have been 
'buried with Christ by baptism into death, and raised 
to walk with him in newness of life.' " 

Mr. Lane listened attentively while his daughter 
related her experience, and then replied: "Gertrude, 
I am indeed pleased to note the candor and earnest- 
ness with which you have approached the matter of 
your soul's salvation. I would that all might approach 
it in the same way, and, instead of blindly following 
the lead of others, allow their own consciences to guide 
them, having first made a candid investigation of di- 
vine truth. That, to my mind, is the right and only 
safe course to pursue. It's the course I pursued, and 

12 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

the result of my investigation on tlie subject of bap- 
tism was the same as yours ; but I am unable to under- 
stand why you have decided to unite with the Baptist 
Church, rather than with the Methodist. Our preach- 
ers will immerse whenever the candidate so desires/' 
"Not always, father," interrupted Gertrude; ''you 
forget the case of Eva Jones, or, perhaps, you didn't 
know that it was Eva's desire to be immersed; but 
it was, and she so informed the preacher. But he 
argued against it so bitterly that she finally consented 
to be sprinkled. It was only last evening, however, 
that she and I were talking on that subject, and she 
informed me that she had never been satisfied. I re- 
member also, father, hearing you relate your experi- 
ence along that line, and, if I mistake not, it was not 
until after three lengthy arguments that your pastor 
finally consented to immerse you, and then did so by 
saying, ''Well, if nothing but immersion will satisfy 
you, I guess I can do it.' And, as nothing but immer- 
sion will satisfy me, I presume I could induce your 
pastor to immerse me. At any rate, if there was noth- 
ing else involved, I should at least make the attempt. 
But, to my mind, the question involves another. Paul 
says: 'There is one Lord, one faith and one baptism.' 
Now, I firmly believe that the 'one baptism' of which 
Paul speaks in his Ephesian letter is the same baptism 
to which he refers in his Roman letter, and which he 
declares is a burial and a resurrection, a planting and 
a coming forth into new life. Now, if the one baptism 
is a burial, then it is not a sprinkling. If the one is 
right, the other is wrong. If it's right to bury people 

13 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

by baptism, it's wrong to refuse to bury them, and I 
fail to see any consistency in one who believes with 
Paul that baptism is a burial contributing of his 
means to send out preachers to teach that it isn't a 
burial. For this reason, I prefer to belong to a church 
whose preachers not only believe with Paul that bap- 
tism is a burial, but who preach it and practice it 
as well." 

After Gertrude had finished, Mr. Lane remained in 
a thoughtful mood a few moments, and then said: ''I 
had never thought of it in just that light. It does 
seem somewhat inconsistent for a person who believes 
as I do — that there is absolutely no authority in the 
word of God for sprinkling for baptism — to be paying 
$50 a year to some man to go out and uphold the 
practice by inducing all he can to be sprinkled rather 
than immersed. I'll think the matter over, Gertrude, 
and see if there isn't a more consistent course I may 
pursue. In the meantime, regarding your own case, I 
have only this to say: Let your own conscience, quick- 
ened and enlightened by divine truth, be your guide." 

The next Sunday was the regular day for preaching 
at both the Baptist and Methodist Churches, and, 
though Mr. and Mrs. Lane were very regular in their 
attendance (seldom missing a service at their own 
church), yet, knowing their daughter's intention, they 
decided to accompany her to the Baptist Church. 
Accordingly, at the appointed hour, the three walked 
in, and were all seated in the same pew. Their coming 
attracted the attention of the Baptist members, and 
was the occasion of much speculation among those who 

14 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

never before knew them to leave their own to attend 
services elsewhere. One old sister (Mrs. Noel) felt 
that she couldn't wait until the close of the service, 
and, seizing time by the forelock, she went before it 
began to express unto them her mingled surprise and 
joy at seeing them present. ''Why! Bro. Lane," she 
exclaimed, as she seized him by the hand, "it's oint- 
ment enough to cure the granulated sore eyes to see 
you at one of our services; surely the judgment-day 
must be near at hand." 

''Judging from the silver hairs in our heads, 
sister," replied Mr. Lane, "it can't be very far from 
us, and I thought it time we Christians were getting 
a little better acquainted with each other. I fear the 
angels will think it strange if* they have to introduce 
persons who down here lived all their lives in the same 
little town." 

"You are right, Bro. Lane," replied Mrs. Noel. 
"There is entirely too much seclusion and selfishness 
among the Christian people of this town, and I am 
praying to live to see the time when we can all meet 
and worship together every Lord's Day." 

The announcement of a song was the signal that 
the service was about to begin, and Mrs. Noel settled 
down in a seat near the Lanes. After the usual song 
service and prayer, the preacher read a part of the 
fourteenth chapter of Luke, and announced that his 
text would be the twenty-seventh verse: "And who- 
soever doth not bear his cross and come after me, 
cannot be my disciple." His selection was a very 
appropriate one, so far as Gertrude was concerned. 

2 15 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Tlie text and manner in wMch. it was treated nerved 
her for the task that lay before her — the task of bear- 
ing a cross, the weight of which no one knew but she 
alone. It was no trivial matter for Gertrude Lane to 
turn away from the church in which her father and 
mother had been honored members for so many years; 
nothing but a conscientious conviction that her Lord 
was calling her into other paths could induce her to 
do it. The reading of the account of her Lord's 
transfiguration had made a lasting impression upon 
her mind, especially the message that came from God 
upon that occasion, wherein He declared: "This is my 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye 
him." This message served to convince her that it 
was God's will that Christ should be the lawgiver of 
the Christian dispensation, and she had resolved to 
recognize him as such. With her, to know the Lord's 
will was all that was necessary to determine her course 
of action, and, while she was 'sensible of the fact that 
her entire pathway had not yet been made clear, yet 
she felt that the Lord had discovered to her the next 
step to be taken, and that step she had resolved to 
take, trusting she would then be in a position to see 
further. Accordingly, when the sermon was finished 
and the congregation arose to sing the invitation hymn, 
she proceeded to make her way to the front, pausing 
only long enough to entwine her arms about the necks 
of her father and mother and impress a kiss upon 
their cheeks. To say that the people were astonished 
or surprised is putting it in terms too mild to ade- 
quately express it. They were bewildered. Even the 

16 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

preacher seemed somewhot nonplused, for, though he 
knew Gertrude quite well, yet the first question he 
put to her was: ''Isn't this Grertrude Lane?" She 
assured him that it was, and then informed him that 
she had come to take the jsteps necessary to constitute 
her a Christian. He then announced to the audience 
that Gertrude Lane, having made up her mind to 
enter the service of Christ, had come forward in 
response to the invitation to take the steps necessary 
to constitute her a Christian; then, turning to Ger- 
trude, he proceeded to question her as follows: 

"Gertrude, you no doubt believe the record of 
Christ's miraculous conception and birth?" 

To which she replied, "I do." 

"You recognize Him, then, as the divine Son of 
God and Saviour of men?" 

"1 do." 

"And it is the purpose of your heart to consecrate 
your life to His service?" 

"It is." 

"And now, Gertrude, may I ask, do you believe the 
doctrines as taught and practiced by the Baptist Church 
to be true and in accord with the teaching of God's 
word?" 

Gertrude remained silent a few moments before 
attempting to answer this question, at length saying: 
"I don't know, Bro. Mason, that I can give you a full 
and satisfactory answer to that question. You speak 
of the doctrines of the Baptist Church, and, really, I 
don't know that I am well enough acquainted with the 
doctrines to give you an intelligent answer. In fact, 

17 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

I supposed the main difference between the Baptist 
Church and others was the position they occupied on 
the subject of baptism. I have made a pretty thorough 
study of that subject, and can truthfully say that I 
believe the Baptist doctrine of immersion to be in 
strict accord with the teaching of God's word; and it 
was mainly because I so believed that I desired to 
unite with the Baptist Church. If I had known that 
such a question would have been asked me, I would 
have spared us this embarrassment by being prepared 
to answer; but, under the circumstances, if it be neces- 
sary for me to answer this question in order to be 
received into your fellowship, I see no other alternative 
than to just defer taking any further action until I 
have had an opportunity to investigate the matter." 
It isn't known just what course the preacher would 
have taken had he been left to decide the case alone; 
but that task was not to be imposed upon him, for 
the moment Gertrude had finished, old Bro. Sims 
arose and said: ''Brethren, I object to making the 
young lady's inability to answer that question a bar 
to her admission into the church. If we were to make 
that question a test of fellowship, I am persuaded we 
would have to exclude a great many who have, for 
years, been considered members in good standing and 
full fellowship, and yet they couldn't, for the life 
of them, tell you just why they are Baptists from a 
doctrinal standpoint. Quite certain am I that those 
five children, ranging in age from nine to twelve 
years, couldn't, whom we recently admitted. The 
young lady has confessed her faith in the divinity of 

18 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

Christ, acknowledged iter willingness to receive Him 
as her own personal Saviour, and to consecrate her life 
to His service, and that ought to be enough to admit 
her to fellowship in this or any other church, and I 
move you, Bro. Mason, that she be received without 
further ado as a candidate for baptism, and after that 
as a member in full fellowship of the Baptist Church 
of Alpha." 

As Bro. Sims was taking his seat, three persons 
arose simultaneously, in different parts of the house, 
for the purpose of offering a second to the motion, but 
before either of them could speak old Bro. Lawson, 
still sitting in his pew, said: *'I second the motion of 
Bro. Sims." 

Whether it was the preacher's intention to further 
question G-ertrude, or to offer any remarks in response 
to Bro. Sims' speech, is not known, for the three per- 
sons who had arisen to offer a second to the motion, 
finding themselves defeated by Bro. Lawson, exclaimed 
in rapid succession as they resumed their seats: 
''Question! Question! Question!" And the mo- 
tion was immediately put, and carried by a unani- 
mous vote. 

At Gertrude's request, the preacher announced that 
the baptismal service would be held at the church at 
three o'clock that afternoon, after which, during the 
singing of that old song, 

*' Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
All to leave and follow Thee,*' 

the whole congregation pressed to the front to extend 
to Gertrude the hand of congratulation and good will. 

19 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

After the benediction had been pronounced, and 
while the people were shaking hands and talking with 
each other, Gertrude being still detained at the front, 
Mrs. Noel, who sat during the service in the pew just 
in front of Mr. and Mrs. Lane, turned to them, and 
said: ''I don't know just how you people feel, but, 
as for me, my very soul is an arena in which the two 
opposing emotions of joy and sorrow are struggling for 
supremacy. It is always a source of joy to me to see 
young persons like Gertrude voluntarily offer up their 
lives on the altar of Christian service, but in this case 
the joy is embittered somewhat by the thought that a 
denominational wall is to separate parents and child, 
and thus rob them, to some extent, of the pleasure of 
each other's fellowship in Christian work and service. 
I have long felt that these denominational walls were 
an unnecessary evil, and that feeling has only been 
intensified by the events of to-day. I'll tell you, Bro. 
Lane, I have been praying, and shall continue to pray, 
that God may send to our town, as He did to Jericho 
of old, some Joshua, who, with the trumpet of divine 
truth, shall level these denominational walls to the 
ground, and leave his curse to be visited upon the head 
cf him who shall ever attempt to rebuild them." 

''Six months ago. Sister Noel, I would have taken 
issue with you as to the evils of denominationalism, " 
replied Bro. Lane. ''Indeed, until a short time ago, I 
was inclined to look upon divisions as being necessary. 
I remember hearing our Bro. Clark preach on that sub- 
ject some months ago, and he seemed to think divisions 
were necessary in order to accommodate the diverse 

20 



GERTRUDE LANE REACHES A DECISION 

opinions of the people on the subject of religion, and, 
without giving the subject any personal thought, I 
had accepted his conclusions as being correct. But 
recent developments have caused me to do some think- 
ing along that line myself, and I feel just now more 
like taking issue with Bro. Clark on the proposition 
that divisions are right, than with you on the proposi- 
tion that they are wrong." 

''I am indeed pleased, Bro. Lane, to know that 
your mind is drifting in the right direction. I would 
that all our people would get to exercising their God- 
given right of thinking for themselves upon the evils 
of a divided Christendom. In that case 1 feel there 
would be a general drifting together of sentiment, that 
would result in the overthrow of denominationalism 
and the establishment of organic union." 

By this time Gertrude had joined her father and 
mother, and, bidding Mrs. Noel good-by, they returned 
to their home. 



21 



CHAPTER II. 
DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

A COINCIDENT worthy of notice, and of which 
Gertrude Lane's union with the Baptist Church 
was only a part, happened in the town that day. 
While the Baptists were rejoicing over the addition 
of one to their flock, the Methodists were rejoicing 
over two. Emogene Hale, whose father and mother 
were both staunch members of the Methodist Church, 
had for some time been the boon companion of Evelyn 
Drew, whose mother was a member of the Baptist 
Church, but whose father was not identified with any. 
Evelyn had accompanied Emogene to the Methodist 
Church that morning, and during the singing of the 
invitation hymn Emogene whispered to her, and said: 
''Let's go up and join." Evelyn hesitated to answer, 
but instinctively followed when Emogene led the way. 
They were both taken through the whole formula, in- 
cluding baptism, during the same service. 

On her way home from the Baptist Church that 
morning, Mrs. Drew stopped in to see Mrs. Fowler, 
another Baptist sister, who had been unable to attend 
services that morning because of a sick child. Coming 
into the room where Mrs. Fowler was sitting, and 
apparently without any thought of the sick child, she 

22 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

exclaimed: "Oh, Mrs. Fowler! I just came by to tell 
you the news. I know you'll think it good news. 
G-ertrude Lane has joined the Baptist Church. Now, 
isn't that good news? Gertrude is such a sweet girl, 
and she will be such a help to us." 

''In one sense it's good news, but in another it 
isn't," replied Mrs. Fowler, as she replaced the cover 
which the sleeping child, startled at the sound of Mrs. 
Drew's voice, had thrown from it. 

"Why, Mrs. Fowler! what do you mean? I thought 
you would be rejoiced to hear such news as that." 

"I am rejoiced, Mrs. Drew, at the thought of Ger- 
trude becoming a Christian; but it is a source of 
sadness to me to see devout Christian parents like 
Mr. and Mrs. Lane raising up a daughter, and then 
being robbed of their fellowship with her in Christian 
work by belonging to different churches." 

"Oh, pshaw! Mrs. Fowler, you're too sentimental. 
I'm a Baptist to the core, and I rejoice in everything 
that comes our way. If Mr. and Mrs. Lane want fel- 
lowship with their daughter, let them come into the 
church with her. I don't see what they want to be 
Methodists for, anyway." 

Just as Mrs. Drew began this last statement, Mrs. 
Fowler's son Walter came into the room, and when 
she had finished, he said: "Mrs. Drew, you are not 
aware of the fact, I presume, that you now have a 
Methodist in your family." 

Thinking the boy had reference to Mr, Drew, who 
was not a member of any church, but frequently called 
himself a Methodist just to tease his wife, Mrs. Drew 

23 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

said : ' * No, I haven 't a Methodist in my family, and 
if John Drew was to join the Methodist Church, I'd — 
I'd— well, I'll not say what I'd do, but I'd feel like 
leaving him." 

''It was not Mr. Drew, but Evelyn, I had reference 
to," explained Walter. ''I understand Evelyn united 
with the Methodist Church this morning." 

''What! do you mean to tell me, Walter, that 
Evelyn Drew has joined the Methodist Church?" 

"Yes'm. George Hale .told me so." 

"Oh, Walter! do you mean it? Is it really true?" 

"Yes'm, it's true," exclaimed John, a younger 
brother, as he came in from the dining-room with a 
slice of buttered bread in his hand. "I went straight 
over there from the Baptist Church, and saw the 
preacher baptize her." 

"Are you sure it was Evelyn?" 

"Yes'm, I know her." 

This added testimony of John convinced her that 
it was no joke that Walter was practicing upon her, 
but simply the announcement of an event that had 
actually occurred; and, as the truth of the situation 
burst upon her, she burst into a flood of tears, and 
exclaimed: "Oh, Mrs. Fowler! what shall I do?" 

"Why, my dear sister," said Mrs. Fowler, in a 
tone indicating half pity and half rebuke, "do as thou- 
sands of others have done: go through life with a 
denominational wall between you and your child, or, 
if you prefer, take the course you awhile ago sug- 
gested for Bro. and Sister Lane — quit your church and 
join hers." 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

''Oh, Mrs. Fowler! quit talking your nonsense, and 
say something to console me. You know I could never 
join the Methodist Church, and I can't believe Evelyn 
was led to do so from any conscientious convictions of 
right. It was simply a case of one girl leading 
another. ' ' 

''That may be true,' Mrs. Drew, and yet it doesn't 
justify you in the assertion that Evelyn had no con- 
scientious conviction that she was doing right. Our 
consciences are creatures of education, and in these 
days of religious controversy they are being variously 
educated. Some are being educated to believe that the 
church is not a very important factor in the matter 
of our salvation, and that they can be saved without 
it as well as with it. Others are being educated to 
believe that one church is as good as another, and it 
doesn't matter what church a person belongs to, nor 
what they believe, if only they are in a way sincere. 
And, with such ideas as these instilled in their minds, 
our young people, and many older ones, are merely 
subjects of social influences, and the church that exerts 
that influence gets them. Hence the demand for 
preachers who are good mixers, taffy-slingers, inventors 
cf social devices for captivating and drawing people 
into the church. Take, for instance, the social given 
by the church last week in honor of the Hughes family, 
who recently moved into the town, which was simply 
a fifteen-dollar bid for them to come into the Baptist 
Church; while, upon the other hand, there is Sister 
McCormick, who, with her four small children to care 
for, has been in very straitened circumstances since 

25 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

her husband died last winter. In fact, but for the aid 
the town gave, she would actually have suffered for 
the necessaries of life. Sister Drew, as I see it, the 
church is indebted both to the world and to her own 
individual members. To the world she owes the gospel, 
while to her individual members she owes the Christ 
spirit of helpfulness in time of need. Let the church 
discharge her indebtedness to her individual members 
by faithfully standing by them and ministering, not 
alone to their spiritual, but to their temporal needs as 
well, whenever circumstances render such minis- 
tering necessary, and the gospel, faithfully pro- 
claimed, will prove itself to be the only drawing-card 
necessary to induce the world to enter into its fellow- 
ship." 

Mrs. Drew sat with her eyes intently fixed on a 
single figure of the carpet until silence reminded her 
that Mrs. Fowler was through; then,, rising to her 
feet, she said: "I can not tell you. Sister Fowler, 
whether I agree with you or not, for, really, I haven't 
heard a word you have said. My mind has been all 
around the world, and explored the regions beyond 
since you began. I'm going home and see what John 
has to say." And, without any ceremony, she passed 
cut of the house. A breath of fresh air, however, was 
all that was necessary to restore her mental powers 
to their normal condition; and before reaching the 
gate she turned, went back to the door, and said: *'I 
believe I failed to ask you. Sister Fowler, what the 
trouble was with Mary, and whether or not you con^ 
sider her dangerously ill." 

26 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

*^No, Sister Drew, Mary is only suffering from the 
effects of a slight cold which she has contracted, and I 
feel sure she will soon be out again. She is decidedly 
better to-day." 

When Mrs. Drew reached home, she found Evelyn 
there preparing the table for the noonday meal, while 
Mr. Drew was out in the kitchen creating a commotion 
among the pots and pans. 

''I hear," she said to Evelyn, as she began to 
remove the pins from her hat, "you joined the Method- 
ist Church to-day. Is it true?" 

"Yes, ma'am," replied Evelyn. "Emogene and 
I both joined." 

The storm that was evidently brewing in Mrs. 
Drew's mind, and which, with slight provocation, 
would, perhaps, have broken forth in its fury ^vith her 
next utterance, was calmed somewhat by the tone and 
manner in which Evelyn made her reply; and, instead 
of harshly upbraiding, she stood eyeing her until she 
saw a large teardrop roll down her cheeks and fall 
upon the napkin she was folding, and, without a word 
of censure, she went to her, and, entwining her arms 
about her, said: "Well, daughter, mother's glad to 
have her child own her Lord and consecrate her life 
to His service; but you don't know — well, we'll not 
say anything about it now. I doubt not your father 
is getting hungry. The services were unusually long 
to-day, and, besides, I stopped in to see little Mary 
Fowler, who is sick, and, because of it, her mother 
missed the morning service. Oh, say, Ev ! we must have 
a fire in the cookstove to warm up the coffee." 

27 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

** Father has the fire kindled already," Evelyn re- 
plied, as her mother hurried to the kitchen, adjusting 
her apron as she went. 

''Well! has the prodigal returned?" asked Mr. 
Drew, as his wife came into the kitchen. "I thought 
perhaps you Baptists had proclaimed this a day of 
fasting, but what for I didn't know, unless it was 
because the Methodists had stolen one of your girls." 

''Well, I thank you, on that score we break even 
with them, for we stole one of theirs." 

' ' You did ! Pray tell me, wife, what Methodist 
lamb is it that has strayed into the Baptist fold?" 

"Why, it was none other than Gertrude Lane, and 
her father and mother were both there." 

"Good! Let the lambs continue to scatter, and it 
may be it will drive some of the selfishness out of the 
old sheep. Perhaps, when their children become mem- 
bers of other churches, they will condescend to go 
occasionally themselves; and, by going, may learn a 
valuable lesson, and that is that there are some Chris- 
tians outside of their respective folds. Really, wife, 
I'm glad, for your sake, that Evelyn has joined the 
Methodist Church. It may be now you'll crawl out of 
your Baptist shell occasionally and go to hear some 
one else." 

"John Drew, that's enough to insult me. You know 
it isn't selfishness that prevents m.e going to hear 
others. It's because I think them wrong." 

"Yes, but, wife, it's such an easy matter for a 
person to hide himself away within the walls of some 
particular denomination, and then think, merely think, 

28 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

everybody outside those walls is wrong; but to know 
it is a much more difficult task. To know it requires 
investigation, and how much time have you spent in 
candid investigation as to the Scripturalness of the 
position occupied by your religious neighbors, or even 
as to the Scripturalness of your own position as a 
Baptist? Are you sure you would have been a Baptist 
if your father and mother had been members of some 
other church?" 

This last question seemed to have struck to the 
quick, and Mrs. Drew responded in rather a petulant 
tone: ''I don't know what I would have been under 
circumstances like that; but, the fact is, no such cir- 
cumstances existed in my case, and hence I'm a Bap- 
tist." 

"Yes, you are a Baptist, wife, in the modern 
sense and meaning of the term, but not in the Scrip- 
tural sense. The Scriptural meaning of the term 
'Baptist' is one who baptizes. John was a Baptist 
simply because he baptized people. For thirty years 
he was known to the world merely as John; but when 
he entered upon his ministry and began to baptize 
people, he was called John the Baptist. Say, wife, 
how many persons have you ever baptized? If none, 
then where is your authority for calling yourself a 
Baptist, seeing the Scriptures recognize none as Bap- 
tists save those who have administered the ordinance 
to others?" 

''Well, perhaps you had better go to preaching 
yourself, and teach the people the way of the Lord 
more perfectly." 

29 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''Successful teacliing, wife, depends upon two 
things: First, upon the ability of the teacher to teach, 
and, second, upon the willingness of the pupil to be 
taught. Granting I had the ability to teach, do you 
think it likely I would find any very great number of 
persons in this town who would be willing to be taught, 
especially if the teaching ran counter to some of their 
inherited opinions?" 

"I can not answer for others, but if you or any 
one else were to convince me, by Scripture, that some 
other was better and more in harmony with the 
revealed will of God than the way I am traveling, I 
would certainly walk in that way." 

''I'll remember that statement, wife, and some day 
we shall see if you are willing to live up to it. But, 
for the present, I think we had better go and appease 
our hunger." 

At three o'clock they all went over to the Baptist 
Church to witness the baptism of Gertrude Lane. When 
they had entered the vestibule, Evelyn pushed ajar 
the inner door and peeped into the auditorium. Clos- 
ing it again, she said: "Why, mamma, it's just like a 
funeral occasion! The house is chockful of people." 

Old Bro. Sims, who had just entered the vestibule, 
overheard her remark, and said: "My dear child, it is 
a funeral — a death, burial and resurrection all com- 
bined. Doesn't Paul say, 'We are buried with Christ 
by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised 
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even 
so we also should walk with him in newness of life'? 
In this simple ordinance the old man of sin, having 

30 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDmG FAMILIES 

died, is buried and left entoinbed, while the new man, 
having been quickened by the operation of faith, is 
raised to walk in newness of life." When he had 
finished, he led the way into the auditorium, and found 
seats for the Drews, and was scarcely seated in his 
own pew when the preacher arose and invited the 
congregation all to join in singing that old hymn: 

' ' Nearer, my God^ to Thee, nearer to Thee ; 
E 'en though it be a cross that raiseth me. ' ' 

When the song was finished, Bro. Sims was called 
upon to lead in prayer, after which Bro. Mason read, 
without comment, several passages of Scripture bear- 
ing upon the subject of baptism, including the passage 
from Romans 6 which Bro. Sims had quoted to Evelyn 
at the door. Having finished the reading, he walked 
to the head of the baptistery, and, as the two began 
their descent into the pool, the choir began to sing 
softly, 

*^My life, my love, I give to Thee, 
Thou Lamb of God, who died for me;" 

finishing the verse just as the preacher raised his hand, 
and said: "Gertrude, by the authority of Jesus Christ 
and upon a voluntary confession of your faith in Him, 
I baptize you 'into the name of the Father and of 
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'" At that moment 
every eye was fixed upon Gertrude. They watched 
her as, with an expression of extreme resignation upon 
her face, she suffered herself to be lowered into the 
watery grave, and when she came forth again, gasping 
for breath, a new-born babe in the kingdom of Christ, 
it required only the soft tones of the choir singing 
3 31 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

"I'll live for Him, who died for me, 
How happy then my life shall be, ' ' 

to enable Evelyn Drew to see the appropriateness of 
immersion as a means of inducting a penitent believer 
into the kingdom of Christ; and when on their way 
home her mother said to her, ''Well, daughter, what 
did you think of the service?" Evelyn replied: "I 
thought it very nice indeed, mother. Keally, I never 
knew there was such a passage in the Bible as that 
Bro. Sims quoted to me in the vestibule, but I suppose 
there is, as Bro. Mason read the same passage.*' 

"Yes, daughter, it's there,'' replied Mr. Drew; 
*'and its presence upon the pages of sacred history 
will ever be a rebuke to those who, for convenience' 
sake, fail in their baptism to represent to the world 
the death, burial and resurrection of Christ." 

**It has already served as a rebuke to me, father," 
said Evelyn; ''but if I am enabled to carry out the 
resolution I have formed to-day, I trust all will turn 
out well in the end." 

"May I ask, daughter, what the resolution is you 
have formed?" 

"It's simply this: I have resolved to study my 
Bible, and to make it my rule of faith and practice." 

"A good resolution, Ev., and when the Christian 
people of this town all agree to do likewise, I'll be 
ready to join hands with them." 

"I am sorry, father, I can not return your compli- 
ment by pronouncing your statement 'good.' I see no 
good reason why you should wait until all agree to do 
right before you make the start yourself. If we are to 

32 



DENOMINATIONALISM DIVIDING FAMILIES 

be jndged as individuals, we ought to act as individ- 
uals." 

'*I stand reproved, Ev. I never intended to try to 
defend the logic of that statement when I made it. 
We people of the world must always say something in 
justification of our conduct, whether there be any logic 
in it or not. But, logic or no logic, one thing is true : 
there are thousands of people in the world who are 
waiting for the Christian people to get together in 
some way, and I fear they will never join them until 
they do/' 

By this time they had reached home, and a few 
minutes later Evelyn was seated at a window reading 
Ler Bible, apparently intent on carrying out her reso- 
lution. 



33 



CHAPTER III. 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES 

WHEN the time for the evening service drew near, 
Mr. Lane said to Gertrude : ' ' Daughter, we have 
already come in sight of one of the difficulties that lie 
in the way of a divided Christendom, and that is the 
difficulty of attending evening services when members 
of the same family belong to different churches. Your 
mother and I would like to attend the service at our 
church this evening, as we missed the morning service, 
but if you desire — " 

''Very well, father," interrupted Gertrude, ''you 
and mother may have your wish in that matter, for I 
have decided to go to the Methodist Church this even- 
ing myself. It was very generous in you and mother 
to forego the pleasure of your morning service to 
accompany me, and I see no reason why the daughter 
should be less generous than her parents." 

"Very well, then, Gertrude. I had started to say, 
when you interrupted me, that if you desired to go to 
the Baptist Church, and had no one else to accompany 
you home, you could just stop in at Bro. Sims' after 
the service, and I would come for you. But, as you 
have decided to go with us, there will be no need of 
such an arrangement." 

34 



THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES 

''None to-night, father; I'll reserve your offer for 
some future date." 

At the appointed hour, the Lanes all went over to 
the Methodist Church, and were somewhat surprised, 
as they walked into their pew, to find Mr. and Mrs. 
Drew and Evelyn all seated in the pew next ahead. 

''Why, Mrs. Drew!" exclaimed Mrs. Lane. "I'm 
surprised to find you here." 

"You are no more surprised than I at being here. 
If I even dreamed of oUch a thing last night, it was 
like Nebuchadnezzar's dream — it left me before I 
awoke. ' ' 

"Parents will follow their children into paths they 
wouldn 't think of traveling alone, ' ' said Mr. Drew. 
"You see, Mrs. Lane, these Methodists stole her girl 
This morning, and that accounts for her being here this 
evening; and, by the way, I understand you and Mr. 
Lane were over at the Baptist Church this morning. 
Now, I am inclined to think this mingling of Chris- 
tian people a good thing. There are good people in all 
these churches — people who love God, and who are 
trying to serve Him in an acceptable way. At least, 
they are trying to serve Him according to the way 
they have been taught ; and, if their teaching has been 
wrong, they may discover it by getting out and hear- 
ing others. I don't know, of course, just how a Chris- 
tian feels, but it seems to me if I were one, the chief 
desire of my heart would be to know the truth. I 
should want to know that the pathway I was walking 
in was the one ordained of God. And when it came 
to these disputed questions, it seems to me I could 

35 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

not feel that my position was infallibly safe until I 
had compared it with the position of those in opposi- 
tion." 

''That would be rather a laborious task, Mr. 
Drew," replied Gertrude. ''There are so many con- 
flicting theories that one would grow tired of the 
process of comparison before they were through, and 
even then might fail to find the position that was 
infallibly right and safe. It seems to me a better 
way would be to compare your own position on such 
questions with the position occupied by the apostles 
and early Christians, and if there is harmony between 
your position and theirs, then you may rest assured 
you are in the safe way ; if not, you had better abandon 
your position and accept theirs, for the position which 
they occupied is the position pointed out to them by 
the Divine Spirit, and can not be wrong." 

"I think Gertrude's the better plan, father," said 
Evelyn. 

"Very well, then, with two against me, I'll yield 
the point and close the argument." 

"It's time you were closing, for there comes the 
preacher down the aisle," remarked Mrs. Drew. 

When the minister had reached the platform, and 
spoken a few words to the organist, he asked the con- 
gregation to stand and all join in singing "All Hail 
the Power of Jesus' Name." That song was followed 
by a prayer, another song and a Scripture reading 
taken from the fifteenth chapter of John. The text 
was a part of the fifth verse, wherein Christ declared, 
"I am the vine, ye are the branches." The first part 

36 



THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES 

of his sermon was exceptionally good. In it Christ 
was held up before the people as the great spiritual 
life-giver, whom God sent down here into the regions 
of spiritual death for the purpose of transforming the 
spiritually dead, and then nourishing them day by day, 
as the vine the branches, by imparting unto them the 
life principles which the Father had given unto Him. 

But, in discussing the latter part of the text, he 
made the blunder common to those who are wont to 
make an apology for denominationalism, by making 
the term ''branches" apply to denominations, rather 
than to individual disciples. 

The result of the sermon, with those who had never 
given the subject of denominationalism any serious 
thought, was to further intrench them within the limits 
of their own narrow circle. But the result with Mr. 
Lane was different. It tun^d him for an argument 
with the preacher, and as soon as the benediction was 
pronounced, he went to him and invited him to go 
home with him. The invitation was accepted. How- 
ever, it was some time after they had reached home 
before Mr. Lane found a favorable opportunity for 
opening up the subject. He wanted Gertrude present, 
but she had been accompanied home by a young man 
who felt inclined to tarry awhile, so that it was a full 
half-hour before Gertrude was permitted to leave the 
parlor and come into the sitting-room; but when she 
did, he said : ' ' Gertrude, I wish you would get the 
Bible, please; I want Bro. Clark to read some for us." 
"Anything special you want me to read, Bro. 
Lane?" he asked, as Gertrude handed him the Book. 

37 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

**Yes, I would like you to read the fifteenth chapter 
of John." 

"Why, that's the chapter I read this evening at the 
church. ' ' 

'*I know it is, and that is the reason I want you 
to read it again. I think you failed to read it right 
this evening, or, if you did, your sermon failed to agree 
with your text." 

"Shall I read the whole chapter?" 

"No, just read the first ten or twelve verses." 

He read as requested. 

"Now, Bro. Clark, who is it talking in that chap- 
ter?" 

"It is Christ." 

"To whom is He talking?" 

"His disciples." 

"What does He say of^ Himself?" 

"He says, 'I am the vine.' " 

"W^hat does He say of the disciples?" 

"He says, 'Ye are the branches.' " 

"If, then, the disciples are the branches, where did 
you get your authority for saying the different re- 
ligious denominations were the branches?" 

"Well, the two expressions are equivalent. The 
denominations are composed of disciples." 

"Were there any denominations when Christ was 
speaking these words to His disciples?" 

" No ; it was centuries after that the disciples be- 
came divided up into separate denominations." 

"If, then, there were no denominations in existence 
at that time, how do you account for His using the 

38" 



THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES 

word 'are' in the text you used to-night? He says, 
'Ye are the branches.' Whoever he meant to be the 
branches were the branches at that time; and, as there 
were no denominations in existence, but only individual 
disciples, it seems to me, Bro. Clark, that we are forced 
to the conclusion that it was His individual disciples 
whom He had in mind when He said, 'Ye are the 
branches,' and not denominations, which you admit 
had no existence at that time." 

"Well, I do not think this a matter of consequence 
sufficient to justify us quibbling over it," said the 
preacher, as he closed the Book and laid it on the table. 

"To my mind, it is a question of considerable 
consequence, Bro. Clark. If, as you declared this 
evening, this text means that these denominations are 
the branches of the true vine, then we have divine 
authority for them, and those persons who are pleading 
for organic union are doing wrong, in that they are 
pleading for the destruction of these branches by the 
merging of all denominations into one great body. 
But, upon the other hand, if, when Christ uttered the 
words of this text. He had no reference to denomina- 
tions, but only to individual disciples, then the text 
doesn't furnish any authority for denominations, but 
leaves them to stand or fall on their own merits or 
demerits." 

"It is my opinion, Bro. Lane, that it will be a long 
time before they fall or cease to be." 

"It may be. The walls of Jericho would have 
been long in falling had the priests, instead of doing 
what God commanded them to do, called the people 

39 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

together and told them those walls were there by divine 
appointment, and should remain, and then done all 
within their power to uphold them. And so, I presume, 
it will be a long time before these denominational 
walls shall fall if the preachers, instead of preaching 
union, as God has commanded them to do, continue to 
go about, as many of them are, instilling in the minds 
of the people the idea that these walls are here by 
divine appointment, and should be let alone. But, 
while such conduct on the part of many of our preach- 
ers will necessarily retard the cause of union, yet I 
cannot believe that it will effectually prevent it, for I 
discover a growing sentiment among the laity in favor 
of it. The people are growing tired of the burdens 
that denominationalism has imposed upon them, not 
only of the financial burden, occasioned by the building 
of several times as many church-houses and supporting 
several times as many preachers as are needed in a 
given town or community, but of the even more 
grievous burden of having their families divided, and I 
predict a general uprising of the laity in the not far 
distant future for the correction of these evils." 

''It will be a grand spectacle, don't you think, Bro. 
Lane, to see the laity teaching the clergy theology?" 
retorted Bro. Clark, in a tone of voice that indicated 
derision. 

''Well, it may be a somewhat spectacular event, 
Bro. Clark, but not an unprecedented one, for the New 
Testament furnishes us an example of the laity, in the 
persons of Aquila and Priscilla, teaching the eloquent 
Apollos the 'way of the Lord more perfectly,' and such 

40 



THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES 

things seem to be in line with God's plans, for we 
read that 'God hath chosen the weak things of the 
world to confound the things that are mighty,' and. 
who can tell but that the laity, who, in their weakness, 
have suffered themselves to be 'led about by every 
wind of doctrine,' may yet become, under the directing 
hand of God, the mighty power that shall break the 
shackles of denominationalism and usher in that era of 
unity and peace that shall make the 'church of the 
living God,' in the estimation of the world, the grand- 
est institution ever inaugurated?" 

"Well, in view of the approaching conflict, I move 
you, Bro. Lane, that we all retire." 

"Very well, Bro. Clark, but first lead us in a word 
of prayer." 

As they all knelt, Bro. Clark offered a very earnest 
prayer, but made no reference to the subject they had 
been discussing. 

The next day the two preachers returned to their 
homes, leaving the people to think on and discuss the 
events that had transpired since their coming. 



41 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE NEW PREACHER 

PERHAPS the busiest person in the town for the 
next several weeks was Gertrude Lane. In addi- 
tion to the household duties that devolved upon her, 
she had undertaken a sj^stematic study of the Bible. 
Now that she was a member of the church, she felt 
she wanted to be able to give to those who asked a 
"reason for the hope that was within her." She had 
felt chagrined at her inability to answer the question 
that was put to her by the preacher, with reference 
to the doctrines of the Baptist Church, and the first 
thing she did on Monday morning, after the house- 
hold duties had been attended to, was to go over to 
Bro. Sims. 

"I just came over, Bro. Sims," she said, after 
thanking him for a chair that was offered her, "to ask 
if you had a book or anything that would enable me 
to know what the doctrines are as taught and practiced 
by the Baptist Church. I never felt so cheap in my 
life as I did when Bro. Mason asked me that question 
and I couldn't answer it." 

"Don't allow that to worry you, sister, for there 
are thousands in the church who couldn't give an 
intelligent answer to that question. In fact, I don't 

42 



THE NEW PREACHER 



think preachers have any right to ask such a question. 
It is a temptation to persons to testify falsely, rather 
than place themselves in the embarrassing position 
you were in yesterday. For instance, upon one occa- 
sion a young lady united with our church, whom I 
had heard express herself as opposed to the Baptist 
doctrine and practice of 'close or restricted com- 
munion;' yet when the preacher asked if she believed 
the doctrines taught and practiced by the Baptist 
Church were right and in accord with the Bible, she 
answered 'Yes.' I met her later and asked if she had 
changed her mind regarding communion. 

" 'No,' she said, 'I have not changed my mind in 
regard to that matter one whit. I still think it not 
right. ' 

" 'Then,' said I, 'why did you answer "Yes" when 
asked concerning the doctrines and practice of the 
church ? ' 

" 'Well, what was I to do?' she replied. 'Had I 
answered "No," it would have created a scene, and 
probably resulted in them rejecting me.' 

"I assured her that, in, that case, I would have been 
a party to the scene. Had he attempted to reject her 
for not believing in the practice of 'close communion,' 
1 should have apprised him of the fact that I did not 
believe in it myself, and that it was my settled convic- 
tion that not one-half of the membership of the con- 
gregation believed in it; for I have heard too many 
of them express themselves on the subject, and he 
would have found it rather an inconsistent procedure 
to have rejected her, while retaining them." 

43 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''May I ask, Bro. Sims, what is meant by 'close 
or restricted communion'?" Gertrude asked. 

"It means a communion to be participated in only 
by the members of that particular congregation." 

"Does that mean that I will not be permitted to 
partake of the communion with my father and mother, 
nor they with me?" she asked, with apparent surprise; 
"and, if so, why do they have such a ruling?" 

"Yes, that is what it means, and one of the reasons 
for the practice, as expressed by Bro. Mason in a 
recent sermon, was to prevent us communing with the 
unconverted and with persons not properly baptized. 
I presume he had forgotten the case of John Spaulding, 
when he made that statement about communing with 
the unconverted. As you know, John's reputation was 
not at all good before he united with the church, and 
for that reason he was rejected by Zilpah Page when 
he sought her hand in marriage. To accomplish his 
end, he feigned conversion and united with the church. 
I remember the night he went to the altar, and, with 
tear-stained face, asked for prayer in his behalf. I 
remember also how, after the prayer, he declared he 
had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken peace and 
pardon to his troubled soul, Bro. Mason declaring it a 
case of genuine conversion. You remember as well as 
I how he was then made a teacher in the Bible school, 
and for two years served in that capacity, until he had 
won the confidence of all, including Zilpah herself, who 
finally consented and married him, only to be left a 
grass-widow a few weeks later, when he suddenly dis- 
appeared, taking with him a neat sum of money which 

44 



THE NEW PREACHER 



her father had given them with which to buy a home, 
and leaving behind a note, in which he said: 'Having 
accomplished my purpose, I bid you a long farewell.' 
Since then. Sister Gertrude, I have had little confidence 
in restricted communion preventing us communing with 
the unconverted. Four times during those two years 
we sat at the communion table with John Spaulding, 
than whose, perhaps, a blacker heart never beat in 
this town. 'Let a man examine himself, and so let him 
eat of that bread and drink of that cup,' is the apos- 
tolic injunction, and we can not do better than to 
follow it. You asked for a book on Baptist doctrine; 
I haven't any. My advice to you is, study your Bible 
and do as it directs.'" 

''Very well, Bro. Sims; I had purposed doing that, 
anyway, but I feel more determined since hearing 
you talk, and I thank you very much for this inter- 
view," Gertrude said as she arose to go. 

The next Sunday was the regular day for preaching 
at the Presbyterian and Brethren Churches (the latter 
commonly known as "Dunkards"), and, in addition, 
Bro. Birch, the Christian preacher, was to preach at 
the Methodist Church. 

Bro. Birch was rather a new man in the town. His 
first visit to the town was made some six months before, 
at the solicitation of several of the citizens, who were 
members of the Christian Church, and, after preaching 
several nights, he organized the twenty or more mem- 
bers whom he found there into a local congregation, 
and had since been making monthly visits to the town 
to preach to them, and as anany others as would come 

45 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

to hear him. But, although he was a man of strong 
pulpit ability, yet he experienced great difficulty in 
getting a respectable hearing. Of course, his own mem- 
bers went to hear him, and also a goodly number of 
those who were not members of any church, but only 
a few of the members of other churches ever went. In 
fact, there seemed to be a general understanding among 
them not to go. The one thing upon which the four 
churches seemed agreed was that they would let the 
''Campbellite" preacher, as they called him, alone. 
And they did let him alone so far as staying away 
from the services was concerned, but in the matter of 
using their tongues to prejudice others against him, 
they didn't let him alone, and many false impressions 
concerning him and his teaching had thus been gen- 
erated in the minds of the people. 

''I don't see what that fellow wanted to come here 
and organize another church for," said a Baptist 
brother to a crowd of men as the preacher passed 
where they were sitting just the day before he 
was to preach. ''We had enough churches here 
already. ' ' 

''That's just what we people of the world thought 
when you Baptists organized six years ago, Mr. Pot- 
ter," responded Mr. Drew; "there were three churches 
here then, and we thought them quite a sufficiency, in 
numbers at least, for such a town as this." 

"Perhaps it was a sufficiency in numbers, but not 
in kind." 

"How many churches of the right kind would a 
town like this require?" 

46 



THE NEW PREACHER 



"I presume one would be sufficient, if it was the 
right kind." 

"Then, I presume, in the estimation of you Bap- 
tists, neither of the three that were here before were 
of the right kind, else you wouldn't have organized 
yours. ' ' 

''Yes, I presume that's about the way we looked 
at it." 

''Well, perhaps Mr. Birch and his members looked 
at it in about the same way, and why censure him for 
doing what you have done yourself?" 

"Oh, well, there was more reason in us organizing 
a Baptist church than in him organizing a Campbellite 
church. " 

Mr. Watson, the merchant, took up the argument, 
and said : ' ' You certainly have a rare power of dis- 
crimination, Mr. Potter, if you can see more reason for 
organizing a 'Baptist' church than for organizing a 
'Campbellite' church. I thought the only authority 
men had for organizing churches at all came from 
God, and I have read His word from Genesis to Eevela- 
lion, and I found just as much authority for organizing 
a 'Campbellite' church as I did for organizing a 
'Baptist' church, and I found none for either. The 
terms 'Baptist church' and 'Campbellite church' are 
not found anywhere in the revealed word of God. And 
if Mr. Birch organized a * Campbellite ' church in this 
town, he acted with as little authority from God as 
you did when you organized the Baptist Church; but 
I think you are mistaken about his organizing a 
'Campbellite' church." 

4 47 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''That's the kind they say he organized any- 
way. ' ' 

''I presume the they of whom you speak has refer- 
ence to ' Madam Rumor ' and her crowd ; if so, judging 
from the silver hairs in your temples, Mr. Potter, I 
should think you old enough to have learned that what 
thei/ say can not be relied on as being true. They said 
Christ was Beelzebub, but that didn't make it so. I 
think a better plan would be to go and hear the man 
yourself ; not once, but until you thoroughly understood 
his plea, and then offer your criticisms, if you have 
any to offer. Solomon says: 'He that answereth a 
matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto 
him.' It is my candid opinion, Mr. Potter, that the 
plea that man is making for organic Christian union, 
if accepted, would mean more for the peace, prosperity 
and happiness of this town than anything that could 
happen to it." 

"If you think his plea such a grand thing, why 
don't you accept it yourself?" 

"It is the one thing I expect to do, Mr. Potter, and 
then use whatever influence I may have to get others 
to accept it." 

"You may accept it if you like, but I am not ready 
to become a ' Camphellite' myself." 

"Nor am I. To become a Christian will be quite 
enough for me." 

"If you join that church, you will be a 'Camp- 
bellite,' however much you repudiate the name." 

"By the way, men, there goes the preacher now. 
I'm going to call him in and turn him loose on Mr. 

48 



THE NEW PREACHER 



Potter/' exclaimed Mr. Drew, as lie arose and hastened 
toward tlie door. 

''I just wanted you to meet these men, and settle 
a dispute that has arisen," said Mr. Drew to the 
preacher, as he approached the men, supplementing his 
remark by introducing him to those whom he had never 
before met. 

''Now, Mr. Drew, I have finished the first part of 
my mission, and am ready to undertake the next," said 
the preacher, as he finished shaking hands with the 
men. 

"So you are ready for the question, are you?" 

"Yes, but you are aware, I presume, that it's oft- 
times easier to ask questions than to answer them, 
and I trust your question will not be a very difficult 
one. ' ' 

"It does seem rather difficult for those who attempt 
to answer to make some people understand it. It was 
asserted here awhile ago that if a person should join 
your church, that act would constitute him a 'Camp- 
bellite, ' and the question is, Is the assertion true 
or no?" 

"Before I answer the question I would like to offer 
a correction to the wording of the assertion by striking 
out the words 'your church' and substituting therefor 
the words 'the church you represent,' for I do not 
claim to have a church of my own. If I had, and one 
should see fit to join it, I suppose he could justly be 
called a 'Birchite, ' but the church I represent doesn't 
belong to me, neither did it belong to Alexander Camp- 
bell, but to Christ, who died to bring it into existence ; 

49 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

therefore, when one meets the conditions and becomes 
a member of His cburcli, he is a Christian, and not a 
Campbellite. " 

Mr. Potter, having recovered somewhat from the 
shock of meeting the preacher, said: "I am still unable 
to see, Bro. Birch, why you people are not Campbell- 
ites, just as truly as the followers of Martin Luther 
are Lutherans, or the followers of John Calvin are 
Calvinists. " 

''I haven't the time just now to explain the matter 
to you, Bro. Potter, but if you will come to the 
Methodist Church to-morrow morning, I promise you 
I will do my best to make the matter clear.'' 



50 



CHAPTER V. 
BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

WHETHER it was due to the word that had gone 
out that Bro. Birch would explain that he and 
his people were not Campbellites, or whether it just 
happened so, we can not tell, but quite a large crowd 
assembled at the Methodist Church the day following 
to hear him preach. Besides his own members and a 
goodly number of non-professors, there were large dele- 
gations from the Baptist and Methodist Churches, and, 
although it was the regular day for services at the 
Presbyterian and Brethren Churches, yet a few of the 
members of each of these churches were among those 
who that day worshiped at the Methodist Church. 

After the usual preliminaries, the preacher an- 
nounced that, in accord with a promise which he had 
made to a certain individual, he would speak to them 
on the subject, ''Why I Am Not a Campbellite. " 
''But, first of all, I want to read you a passage of 
Scripture found in the second chapter of Eevelation, 
and which reads as follows: 'So hast thou also them 
that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing 
I hate' (Rev. 2:15). 

"I have not read this passage for the purpose of 
using it as a text, but merely to get a certain thought 

51 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

before your minds. From this passage we learn that, 
at the time when Christ visited John on the Isle of 
Patmos, there was a class of people on earth known as 
' Nicolaitans, ' and who were recognized as such by 
Christ Himself. But I raise the question : Why were 
those men called ' Nicolaitans ' ? In tracing their his- 
tory, we find that years before there was a certain 
man named Nicholas, who was the author of a certain 
system of doctrine; just what that doctrine was doesn't 
concern us, so- far as our present work is concerned. 
Sufficient to say that all who accepted his system of 
doctrine were called Nicolaitans, and the thought I 
wish to impress upon your minds is that those people 
were 'Nicolaitans' by virtue of their having accepted 
the doctrine of Nicolas. If Nicolas had never formu- 
lated any system of doctrine, there never would have 
been any 'Nicolaitans.' 

"On the afternoon of yesterday the gentleman to 
whom I have already referred said to me : ' I am unable 
to see why you people are not Campbellites, just as 
truly as the followers of Martin Luther are Lutherans, 
or the followers of John Calvin are Calvinists. ' 

"Now, I hope to be able to prove to your entire 
satisfaction, my friends, that there is a marked differ- 
ence in the relationship which Martin Luther and John 
Calvin sustained to their followers, and the relationship 
which Alexander Campbell sustained to those associated 
with him in the work of restoring to the world apos- 
tolic Christianity. 

"In the first place, as some one has said, Martin 
Luther is accredited with the work of organizing a 

52 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

church, even to the extent of drafting for it a constitu- 
tion. The Augsburg Confession is nothing more nor 
less than the constitution of the Lutheran Church, even 
as the Westminster Confession is the constitution of 
the Presbyterian Church. But what is a ' Confession of 
Faith"? Webster says it is 'a creed to be assented 
to, or signed, as a preliminary to admission into a 
church.' The Augsburg Confession, then, containing 
Luther's doctrines, stands at the very entrance of the 
Lutheran Church, and says to every one seeking fel- 
lowship therein : ' I contain a certain system of doc- 
trine, to which you must assent in order to your 
admission.' But when we take into consideration the 
fact that the system of doctrine contained in the 
Augsburg Confession is simply Luther 's deductions 
from the Scriptures, we can see some consistency in 
calling those who accept it 'Lutherans.' Indeed, there 
is just as much consistency in calling them Lutherans 
as there was in calling those who accepted the doctrines 
of Nicolas 'Nicolaitans.' They were Nicolaitans for the 
simple reason that they had accepted the system of 
doctrine formulated by Nicolas. These are Lutherans 
for the reason that they have accepted the system of 
doctrine formulated by Luther. 

"But some one will ask perhaps: 'Wouldn't it be 
just as consistent to call those who accept the doctrines 
of Campbell " Campbellites " as to call those who ac- 
cept the doctrines of Luther "Lutherans," or those 
who accept the doctrines of Nicolas "Nicolaitans"?' 

"Certainly it would be. If Alexander Campbell 
had gone to work and formulated a system of doctrine 

53 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

for men to assent to in order to their admission into 
some church which he had organized, it wonld be just 
as consistent to call those who accepted his system of 
doctrine 'Campbellites' as to call those ' Nicolaitans ' 
who accepted the doctrines of Nicolas, or to call those 
'Lutherans' who accept the Augsburg Confession. But 
the fact is, Mr. Campbell never formulated any system 
of doctrine for any one to assent to as a preliminary 
to entering into some church which he had organized. 
Indeed. ]\Ir. Campbell never organized any church. 
The only thing he did in the way of organization was 
to organize into local congregations those who already 
belonged to the church of Christ. 

''But some one may ask: 'If Mr. Campbell never 
organized a church, nor formulated any system of 
doctrine, then, what did he do?' 

"He simply pointed a divided Christendom back to 
the apostolic church, and asked them to lay aside all 
human creeds and confessions of faith that had been 
foi^mulated by men, and accept in their stead that 
system of doctrine formulated by Christ and His in- 
spired apostles. Hence it is more consistent to call us 
'Christians' than 'Campbellites, ' since it is from Christ, 
and not from Campbell, that we get our doctrine. 

"I trust I have made this point clear. I am ex- 
ceedingly anxious, my friends, that you understand the 
real nature of the work Mr. Campbell attempted to do, 
for I am persuaded that when you fully understand it, 
it will appeal to you favorably, unless, perchance, you 
have permitted your minds to become filled with preju- 
dice to that extent you have become blinded to the 

54 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

truth. I am slow to believe, however, that this latter 
statement can be true. Indeed, I have come to believe 
that a great deal of that we call prejudice in humanity 
is merely a distorted condition of the mind, brought 
about by our failure to understand certain things. 

''I remember talking with a man upon one occa- 
sion who, at first, impressed me as being extremely 
prejudiced against Mr. Campbell; but I hadn't talked 
with him long when I discovered he didn't understand 
the nature of the work which Mr. Campbell had at- 
tempted to do. He had gotten the idea into his head 
that Mr. Campbell had organized a church, and that 
he had not only organized a church, but had laid down 
to the world the terms of admission into it, and that 
the main feature in those terms was baptism, and 
hence he said: 'My objection to the Campbellite church 
is, it makes too much of baptism.' I said to him: 
'My friend, I shall not attempt to argue that question 
with you, for my knowledge of the Campbellite church 
isn't sufficient to justify me saying how much or how 
little it makes of baptism, or of anything else. In 
fact, I have no knowledge of any such church ever 
having been organized.' • 'Why,' said he, 'I refer to 
the church organized by Alexander Campbell in the 
beginning of the nineteenth century.' I told him I 
thought he was mistaken about Mr. Campbell organiz- 
ing a church, and, if he would permit, I would explain 
to him as best I could the real nature of the vv^ork 
which he attempted to do, and then he could judge for 
himself whether he organized a church or nok I began 
by calling his attention to the fact that nearly nine- 

55 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

teen hundred years ago Christ, through the medium of 
his apostles, organized a church in the city of Jeru- 
salem, and that that church had no human, or man- 
made, creed for the government of the conduct of its 
members; but they were governed by the teachings of 
the inspired apostles, as those teachings were first given 
them orally and afterwards committed to writing, as 
we have them in the New Testament to-day. Under 
the guidance of the apostles' teaching, as recorded in 
the New Testament Scriptures, the church lived and 
prospered during the first three centuries as it has 
never prospered since. But the beginning of the fourth 
century was the critical period in the church's history. 
It was then that an event occurred that, to my mind, 
marked the beginning of the great apostasy. Arius, a 
deacon in the church at Alexandria, didn't believe that 
Christ and God were the same individuality — one in- 
separable unit. The bishops, regardless of the fact that 
the Scriptures themselves furnish room for an honest 
difference of opinion, had him excommunicated. Euse- 
bius, the historian, espoused the cause of Arius, and 
sought to have him reinstated. The controversy grew 
warm between Arius and the bishops, and Constantine, 
the Emperor, convoked the Council of Nice, for the 
purpose of settling the dispute, and they settled it by 
writing out the Nicene Creed, in which they attempted 
to define for Arius and every one else the relationship 
existing between Christ and God. 

''My object in referring to this matter is not to 
defend Arius, nor to endorse his opinion of the rela- 
tionship of Christ and God, but to question the right 

56 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

of those bishops to interpose, through the medium of 
that creed, their opinions as a test of fellowship in the 
church of Jesus Christ. Where, since that memorable 
day when God finished his revelation to man, and left 
his curse to be visited upon him who should attempt 
to add thereto or take therefrom, has God ever dele- 
gated to any man, or set of men, the privilege of 
writing down their opinions and holding them up 
before others for endorsement in order to membership 
in the church of Christ? 

"It was through the operation of that selfsame 
spirit that bishops finally grew into priests and prel- 
ates, and took the right of private judgment away 
from the laity by taking the Bible out of their hands 
and retaining it in their own, thus constituting them- 
selves the sole interpreters of the Word; so that the 
people were taught to believe whatever the priests told 
them to believe and do whatever the priests told them 
to do. 

''Such was the condition of the religious world 
when Martin Luther appeared upon the stage. Luther 
was educated for a Catholic priest, but became filled 
with holy indignation when he saw how the priesthood 
had denied the people the right of reading their own 
Bibles. In Luther's opinion that was wrong, and, with 
mighty power and dauntless courage, he wrenched the 
Bible out of the hands of the priests and gave it back 
to the people. Had Luther only stopped there, his 
work would have been a grand success, and there never 
would have been any necessity for the work which 
Alexander Campbell and others were called upon to do 

57 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

ill order to perfect the work which he had so nobly 
begun. But Luther didn't stop there, and, failing to 
do so, he committed the grave mistake of his life. He 
knew it wasn't right that the people should be denied 
the right of private judgment, but he failed to see 
what it was that had deprived them, of that right. Had 
he only glanced back at church history, perhaps he 
might have discovered in that council at Nice the be- 
ginning of the rent between the clergy and the laity, 
which rent grew wider and wider with each succeeding 
generation, until the people were deprived altogether 
of their God-given right of private judgment. But, 
failing to see that point, Luther went to work and 
made the same mistake which the bishops before him 
had made, by getting his men together at Augsburg 
and writing the Augsburg Creed, or Confession of 
Faith, and making it a test of fellowship in the church 
which he had organized. But that creed was nothing 
more nor less than Luther's own deductions from the 
Scriptures, even as the Nicene Creed was the bishop's 
deductions, and it cut out from fellowship in Luther's 
church all who couldn't subscribe to his creed. 

''In the process of time John Calvin appeared upon 
the stage, and, finding himself unable to endorse all of 
Luther's deductions as contained in the Augsburg Con- 
fession, he began to preach independently, and called 
upon all who believed as he did to come to him, and 
they came, and later they wrote out the 'Westminster 
Confession of Faith' as a test of fellowship in the 
church which he had organized. But, if Calvin couldn't 
subscribe to Luther's deductions as set forth in the 

58 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

Augsburg Confession, it were useless for him, or his 
followers, to think that future generations would all 
subscribe to his deductions as set forth in the West- 
minster Confession. If they even thought so, they were 
greatly mistaken, for later there arose men who, find- 
ing themselves unable to subscribe either to Luther's 
or to Calvin's deductions, went to work and organized 
other churches and formulated other creeds to fit their 
ideas, until there were scores of churches, each fenced 
off from the other by a creed which men had invented. 

''Such was the condition of the religious world 
when Thomas and Alexander Campbell came from 
Ireland to America. They were both raised in the 
Presbyterian faith. But upon their arrival in America, 
they were able to see the evils of a divided Christendom 
as they had never seen it before. Here they found the 
church all divided up into various denominations, and 
even the denominations divided and subdivided into 
more than a dozen different parties, each manifesting 
toward the other a spirit of rabid intolerance, to such 
an extent that, even among the Presbyterians, persons 
belonging to one party were denied the privilege of 
communing with those of another. 

" 'This is all wrong,' declared the Campbells. 'In 
the New Testament the church of Christ is a unit — one 
"body," one "household of faith," one "spiritual 
temple" — but here we find it all cut up into rival 
parties warring against each other, and wasting their 
time, energy and means in fratricidal strife, while the 
major part of the world is still hungering and thirsting 
for the bread and water of life. It's nothing in the 

59 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

world but these human creeds, which men have in- 
vented and made tests of fellowship, that has caused all 
the trouble. Let us throw them all aside, go back and 
take our stand upon the Bible, and it alone, as our 
rule of faith and practice. Where it speaks, let us 
speak; where it is silent, let us be silent. That is, 
whatever it plainly commands men to do, let us insist 
Iha t men shall do those things ; but where its teaching 
isn't clear, let each have his individual opinion, but 
hold it as his own private property, and don't try to 
thrust it upon his neighbor.' 

"And suiting their actions to their words, they 
threw aside the old Presbyterian creed which they 
had been wearing, and toak up the Bible, with the 
avowed purpose of teaching only what the inspired 
apostles taught as being necessary for the salvation 
of men. 

"And thus we find that, instead of Alexander 
Campbell organizing the church and formulating a 
system of doctrine of his own for the government of 
the conduct of the members, he simply stands upon the 
pages of history as a signboard, pointing a divided 
Christendom back to the apostolic church, and admon- 
ishing them, for the sake of unity, to lay aside all 
human creeds and systems of doctrine, and accept in 
their stead the system of doctrine formulated by Christ 
and His inspired apostles. 

"As a people, then, we believe and teach faith in 
Christ as the foundation of the sinner's hope. But 
why do we so believe and teach ? Think you. my friends, 
that it is because Alexander Campbell believed and 

60 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

taught it? I tell you nay. We believe it because the 
New Testament Scriptures, which, we have taken as our 
guide-book, teach it. We believe and teach that God 
requires every believing sinner to repent in order to 
his salvation; not because Mr. Campbell taught it, but 
because Christ and His apostles taught it. We believe 
that the immersion, or burial in water, of a penitent 
believer in Christ is Christian baptism; not because 
Mr. Campbell taught it, but because Paul taught it 
when he said: 'Therefore we are buried with Christ 
by baptism.' We believe God requires every penitent, 
baptized believer to live a pious, sober and godly life, 
growing in grace and knowledge of Christ daily; not 
because Mr. Campbell taught it, but because the New 
Testament Scriptures, written by the inspired apostles, 
teach it. We believe that divisions among the people 
of God are wrong and a hindrance to the progress of 
Christ's kingdom in the work of evangelizing the 
world; not because Mr. Campbell taught it, but because 
Paul taught the former in his rebuke to the Corinthi- 
ans, and Christ taught the latter in His prayer for the 
unity of His followers. We believe the wearing of 
names, other than the all-significant name which God 
has given us to wear in honor of His Son, is a fruitful 
source of divisions, and should be discontinued; not 
because Mr. Campbell taught it, but because the in- 
spired apostle Paul has taught it. 

''Thus you see, instead of getting our doctrine from 
Mr. Campbell, we have gone back of him, and gotten 
it from Christ and His inspired apostles; hence it is 
more appropriate to call us 'Christians' than 'Camp- 

61 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

bellites, ' since it is from Christ, and not from Camp- 
bell, we have obtained our doctrine. 

''Now, I hope I have made this plain enough to 
enable every one to understand the real nature of the 
work which Alexander Campbell attempted to do. 
Think of him, my friends, not as the founder of the 
church, but merely as a sign-board pointing a divided 
Christendom back to the apostolic church. Think of 
him, not as attempting to bind upon his fellow-men 
some system of doctrine which he had formulated, but 
as a man pleading with his fellow-men, for the sake of 
unity and peace, to lay aside all man-made systems 
and accept in their stead the system of doctrine that 
was formulated by Christ and His inspired apostles. 

"And now, in conclusion, if there is a man or 
Avoman here this morning who believes with all his or 
her heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and 
Saviour of men, will you not take the steps necessary 
to give you a part in this atoning blood and grace, 
first, by confessing Him before men, and then, with 
truly penitent heart, following Him in the ordinance 
of Christian baptism, coming forth from the watery 
grave to walk with Him in newness of life?" 

Hardly had the audience begun to sing the invita- 
tion song when Mr. Watson, the merchant, stepped into 
the aisle, and made his way to the front. His going 
caused an atmosphere of solemnity to pervade the 
building, and the whole audience seemed wrapped in 
serious thought. Mr. Drew, who was standing between 
his wife and daughter and directly in front of Mr. 
Lane, seemed especially touched; his great frame was 

62 



BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS WORD 

trembling with emotion, and once, when he turned 
his face in the direction of his wife, Mr. Lane saw a 
large teardrop trickling down his cheek, and, leaning 
forward, he said in an undertone: ''John, 'quench not 
the Spirit' " 

"Thank you, Bro. Lane, I'll not," he said, as he 
beckoned his wife to stand aside and let him pass out 
into the aisle. - 

As John Drew walked down the aisle, the eyes of 
the whole congregation were fixed upon him, but 
scarcely had he taken a seat beside Mr. Watson when 
the attention of the audience was attracted to another 
man making his way to the front, followed by his wife, 
a grown son and daughter. It was the Hughes family, 
who had recently moved into the town. 

When the invitation song was finished and the audi- 
ence seated, the preacher asked each of those who had 
come to the front the question : " Do you believe with 
all your heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God 
and Saviour of men?" To which question they each 
responded, "I do." And, turning to the audience, he 
said: "This, friends, is the only question I feel author- 
ized to ask these persons. Christ said, 'Upon this rock 
I will build my church,' meaning, as I understand, the 
truth expressed by Peter when he said, 'Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living G-od. ' Hence it came to 
pass, after the church was established, the apostles 
admitted only those who, through faith in His divinity, 
were willing to receive Christ as the lawgiver of the 
Christian dispensation, whose every command they 
should feel themselves under obligations to obey." 
5 63 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Then, turning to the table, he removed the linen cloth 
that covered the emblems, and announced that the 
opportunity of communing with their Lord, through 
the medium of the ordinance which He had instituted 
and left for the purpose of commemorating His death 
and suffering-, would now be accorded all those who 
desired to avail themselves of the privilege. 

At the close of the communion service a song was 
sung, during which time as many as felt disposed went 
to the front and extended to the new converts the hand 
of congratulation and good will. The preacher then 
announced that, at four o'clock, they would meet at 
the creek to attend to the ordinance of baptism, and 
at the church again at eight for the evening service. 

After the benediction had been pronounced, Mr. 
Lane proceeded to the front, and invited the preacher 
to go home with him. The invitation was accepted. 



64 



CHAPTER VI. 
BAPTISM OF JOHN DREW AND OTHERS 

WHEN they had reached the house and were seated 
in the parlor, Mr. Lane said: ''My object in in- 
viting yon home with me, Bro. Birch, was to have an 
interview with you concerning the present state of the 
church. The time was when I was a friend to denomi- 
nationalism; in fact, I thought the different denomina- 
tions a necessity, in order to accommodate the various 
opinions of men on the subject of religion; but I have 
come to regard them as not only unnecessary, but a 
positive evil, and the question I am now seeking light 
upon is. Is there any remedy for this evil?" 

''Yes, there is a remedy for it, Bro. Lane, but the 
great difficulty is in getting the people willing to apply 
it. The remedy consists in a return to the teaching 
and practice of those who composed the church in the 
apostolic age, as their teaching and practice have been 
handed down to us on the pages of sacred history. 
The remedy would be applied, and the evil cured in 
this community, if the Christian people of this town 
were to get together and agree that henceforth there 
should be but one church in this town, and that they 
would all belong to that one church, and that, both as 
individuals and as a church, they would wear only such 

65 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

names as the word of God authorized them to wear, 
and that, in the matter of presenting to the world the 
terms of reconciliation with God and admission into 
His church, and to members of the church the duties 
of Christian living, their teaching and practice should 
conform to the teaching and practice of the inspired 
apostles and those who composed the early church, as 
their teaching and practice have been revealed to us 
through the New Testament Scriptures." 

''Your remedy, Bro. Birch, seems to be a very 
simple one, and I see no reason why it may not be 
applied. Certainly, for the sake of union, every one 
should be willing to lay aside those things which are 
foreign to the teaching of the Bible, and teach and 
practice those things which the Bible clearly authorizes. 
At any rate, the result to be attained is certainly 
worthy of an effort, and I, for one, am heartily in 
favor of making the attempt." 

At this juncture Mrs. Lane appeared at the door, 
and invited them out to dinner. 

After dinner, the whole family being seated in the 
parlor, Mrs. Lane began the conversation by saying: 
''I never understood before, Bro. Birch, why you peo- 
ple were not ' Campbellites, ' but your sermon this 
morning made it plain enough to my mind. I had 
always regarded Mr. Campbell as the organizer of the 
Christian Church and as the inventor of a certain 
system of doctrine to which all must subscribe in order 
to membership in that church. The idea of his being 
merely a sign-board, pointing a divided Christendom 
back to the apostolic church and advising them, for 

66 



BAPTISM OF JOHN DREW AND OTHERS 

the sake of unity, to lay aside all humaii creeds and 
systems of doctrine formulated by men, and accept in 
their stead the system of doctrine formulated by Christ 
and His apostles, had never occurred to my mind, and 
I think it high time the religious world was heeding the 
s gn-board and getting back to that unity of faith and 
practice that was characteristic of the early church." 

''I am truly glad. Sister Lane, to know that your 
mind has been disabused of those erroneous ideas con- 
cerning the nature of Mr. Campbell's work. I would 
that all understood the real nature of his work, for 
then, I am sure, it would appeal to them favorably." 

Leaving the Lanes to entertain Bro. Birch, let us 
step over to Mr. Drew^'s for a few moments. Mr. and 
Mrs. Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Blair and Mrs. Fowler are 
all there. They are all members of the Baptist Church, 
save Mr. Blair, who is not a member of any. 

The Drew family had not yet finished their noon- 
day meal when these guests came in, and, after wel- 
coming them into her home and seeing them com- 
fortably seated, Mrs. Drew asked them to excuse her 
for a few moments, and returned to the dining-room. 

''Don't you think Mrs. Drew looks dreadfully 
bad?" asked Mrs. Potter of Mrs. Blair, after Mrs. 
Drew had left the room. 

"I can not say that I noticed any change in her," 
responded Mrs. Blair, ''unless it be in the matter of 
her speech. She doesn't seem quite as talkative and 
jovial as she usually is." 

"Oh, I think she looks dreadfully bad. But, poor 
thing, she has reason enough for looking bad and 

67 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

feeling bad too. Just think of it, last Sunday Evelyn 
joined the Methodist Church, and now John has gone 
and joined the Christian Church. Since his wife was 
already a Baptist, I think it would have been much 
more becoming in him to have joined with her." 

''I feel impelled to differ with you, Mrs. Potter. 
I think it much more becoming in John to do as he 
has done, if he conscientiously believes that to be the 
way the Lord would have him go. I have very little 
confidence in that person's religion who has no higher 
motive in joining the church than simply to please 
some one else. It seems to me, Mrs. Potter, that when 
a person, by means of the truth, becomes convicted of 
sin, that the great question with him should be, 'Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?' and then, having been 
brought to a knowledge of the Lord's will, whether 
by his own personal investigation of revealed truth 
or by the preached Word, it is his duty to go for- 
ward in obedience thereto, regardless of the posi- 
tion occupied by either relatives or friends," said 
Mr. Blair. 

"Well, but don't you think a person can live a 
Christian just as well in one church as in another?" 
asked Mrs. Potter, just as Mr. Drew and his wife 
came into the room. 

''I think that depends altogether upon the person," 
said Mr. Drew. ''Take, for instance, a person who 
has no conscientious convictions along the line of 
doctrinal truth, and I presume that person could live 
in one church just as well as in another. But, upon 
the other hand, take a person who has conscientious 

68 



BAPTISM OF JOHN DREW AND OTHERS 

convictions along such lines, and I maintain that he 
can not. For example, take a man who conscientiously 
believes denominationalism to be wrong, who believes 
it to be contrary to the teaching of Christ and His 
apostles, who believes that when Christ prayed that 
His disciples 'may be one,' he meant it. How conld 
a person like that conscientiously live in a church, the 
set policy of which is to teach the opposite of what 
he believes to be right? How could he consistently 
give of his means to support a preacher to go out and 
uphold denominationalism when he believes it to be 
wrong? Although I have said little about it, yet it was 
this very thing that has kept me out of the church up 
to this time. I never did believe that denomination- 
alism, as taught and practiced in the religious world 
to-day, was right. I never did believe that God in- 
tended His church to be cut up into rival sects, so 
hostile to each other as to make it necessary to have 
five or six church-houses in a town where otherwise 
one would be sufficient. It was not so in the beginning 
of the church's history. The apostles never planted a 
half-dozen churches in the same little town. One local 
congregation of believers in each town or community 
was considered by them to be sufficient; and, having 
learned to-day of a people whose mission it is to restore 
the church to its primitive unity in faith and practice, 
I decided to cast in my lot with theirs, and let the 
influence of my life, whether great or small, go out in 
the direction of organic union." 

''It's an old saying, Mr. Drew, that 'charity begins 
at home,' so your first task will be to unite your own 

69 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

house," said Mrs. Potter, winking at Mrs. Drew as slie 
finished the sentence. 

''Yes, I recognize that as my first task, Mrs. Potter, 
but I am not anticipating any serious trouble in accom- 
plishing it. Mrs. Drew has already told me that she 
is open to conviction, and has assured me of her 
willingness to walk in any pathway that the word of 
God might direct. And, as for Evelyn, the very day 
she united with the church she formed a resolution to 
make the word of God alone her rule of faith and 
practice ; and, when three persons start out with the 
avowed intention of conforming their lives to the teach- 
ing of God's word, I see no reason why they should 
not get together." 

"I don't care to rob you, Mr. Drew, of the pleasure 
that comes to you in believing your task an easy one, 
but I venture the prediction that you will change your 
mind before it is completed. I've known Mattie Drew 
longer than you have, and I'll miss my guess if she 
doesn't live and die a Baptist. Her ancestors were 
Baptists as far back as she has any knowledge of them, 
and yoij know yourself what staunch Baptists her 
father and mother are. Why, Mr. Drew, old Bro. 
Bowles would never forgive you, neither in this world 
nor the next, if you were to make a ' Campbellite ' out 
of his daughter." 

''I think you are rather jumping at conclusions, 
Mrs. Potter, in thinking that I am going to make a 
' Campbellite, ' or any other kind of an 'ite, ' out of her. 
I said a moment ago that Mrs. Drew, Evelyn and I 
had all agreed to make the Bible our rule of faith and 

70 



BAPTISM OF JOHN DREW AND OTHERS 

practice, and I hardly think that living up to that 
agreement would make a ' Campbellite ' out of her, 
inasmuch as the word ' Campbellite ' is nowhere found 
in the Bible. But I shall have to ask you people to 
excuse me for a short while, as I have some arrange- 
ments to make in the matter of providing conveyances 
to take us to the creek, and I would be pleased to 
provide for as many of you as desire to go and have no 
conveyance. ' ' 

*' Thank you, Mr. Drew, but I have my surrey in 
town, and if Mr. Potter and wife and Mrs. Fowler 
desire to go, they will be perfectly welcome to go with 
us, so you need only to arrange for the members of 
your own family," said Mr. Blair. 

After Mr. Drew had gone, the guests remained 
silent a few moments. Finally, Mrs. Potter, turning to 
the other w^omen, said: "Were you not all somewhat 
surprised at Mr. and Mrs. Hughes joining the church 
this morning?" 

''It was a surprise to me," responded Mrs. Blair. 
"I had counted on them uniting with the Baptist 
Church." 

"What right had you to think they would? Had 
they ever expressed themselves as inclined that way?" 
asked Mr. Blair. 

"No, I can't say that I ever heard them express a 
preference for any particular church; but the Bap- 
tists have always taken such an interest in them ever 
since they came to town. Really, I know of but two 
or three of the members of the Christian Church who 
have visited them, while a great number of ours have 

71 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

called to ^ see them. And, besides, it was generally 
understood that the social we gave at the church was 
given in their honor, and I should think those things 
would have had some influence upon them in the matter 
of selecting a church home, but it seems they didn't." 
''No, they didn't, wife, and I am glad of it. I 
never did approve of the custom so many churches 
have fallen into, that of trying to tole people in with 
taffy, ice-cream and such like things. The custom is 
wrong in principle. The logic of denominationalism is 
that each church stands for certain doctrinal truths, 
apart from the one great truth relating to the divinity 
of Christ, which all hold in common, and that these 
truths are, in importance, so great as to prevent those 
believing them from worshiping God acceptably with 
those who do not. So, if the principle of denomina- 
tionalism is right, it follows that only those who be- 
lieve the doctrines peculiar to a certain church ought 
to belong to that church ; and, instead of you folks 
running after the Hughes family with ice-cream and 
taffy, you should have gone to them with a plain state- 
ment of the doctrinal truths peculiar to your church, 
and frankly said to them: 'Friends, here is a statement 
as to what we believe and teach; if you can accept it, 
we shall be pleased to have you come into fellowship 
with us.' But, upon the other hand, if the principle 
of denominationalism isn't right — in other words, if 
it isn't necessary, as your custom of toling people into 
the church would seem to indicate, that all should be- 
lieve alike the doctrinal truths taught by a particular 
church in order to membership therein — then denomi- 

72 



BAPTISM OF JOHN DREW AND OTHERS 

nationalism exists without a cause, and you had just 
as well pull down your denominational walls, and have 
but one church. If a person can be a member of a 
denominational church without believing all the doc- 
trines taught by that church, I see no reason why he 
couldn't be a member of an undenominational one, 
even though he may disagree with his brethren over" 
many things of minor importance taught by it. So, 
it seems to me, a better way would be to do away with 
all denominational churches, and let us have, in their 
stead, one grand church, built upon the great central 
truth of the Bible — namely, Jesus the Christ of God 
and Saviour of men — and then let that one church 
reflect to the world, through the conduct of its indi- 
vidual members, that spirit of brotherly love that was 
characteristic of the early church, and ice-cream socials 
would no longer be needed as a means of toling men 
and women; but, beholding its beauty, they would 
press into it." 

"I want to say, Mr. Blair," said Mrs. Fowler, 
''that I heartily agree with your one-church idea. I 
never could persuade myself to believe that God in- 
tended His church to be cut up into rival sects as it is 
to-day, and I shall hail with delight the day when 
divisions shall be no more." 

At the appointed hour a goodly number of people 
assembled on the bank of the creek, a short distance 
from town, to witness the baptism of those who had 
confessed their faith in Christ. After the six who had 
made the confession at the morning service had all 
been immersed, Mrs. Watson approached the preacher 

73 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 



at the water's edge, and asked that she, too, be bap- 
tized. The preacher, in the language of Philip to the 
eunuch, said: ''If thou believest with all thy heart, 
thou mayest;" and she said, ''I do believe that Jesus 
is the Christ, the Son of God," and he baptized her. 



74 



CHAPTER VII. 
PAVING THE WAY FOR UNION 

AT eight o'clock quite a large audience assembled 
at the church, and the preacher, taking advantage 
of the opportunity, preached a strong sermon on the 
subject of Christian union, basing his remarks on the 
words of Christ addressed to His Father in that 
memorable prayer which He offered just before He 
was betrayed, and which is recorded in the seventeenth 
chapter of John : ' ' Father, I pray not for these alone, 
but for them also who shall believe on me through 
their word, that they may all be one, as thou, Father, 
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one 
in us, that the world may believe that thou didst send 
me." 

I shall not attempt to give even a synopsis of the 
sermon, but will proceed to note some of the results. 

The subject of Christian union was the chief topic 
of conversation among the people of the town during 
the remainder of the week. They discussed it in their 
homes, in their places of business and on the street 
corners. In fact, wherever you saw a group of men 
engaged -in earnest conversation, you were pretty safe 
in concluding they were discussing the subject of Chris- 
tian union, for it was the all-absorbing theme. Some 

75 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

were opposing, but by far the majority were heartily 
in favor of it. 

One of the most heated discussions occurred one 
morning in the bank. The bank was a corner building, 
with a front entrance on the main street of the town 
and a rear entrance on one of the side streets. When 
Mr. Middleton, the cashier, came down that morning to 
open up, he entered the building at the side door, and 
had scarcely gotten inside when Mr. Potter came along, 
and, thrusting his head in at the door, said: 

"Say, Middleton, how are you on this church-union 
proposition? Do you think it will work?" 

''That depends altogether on the people, Mr. Pot- 
ter. I am sure the Lord is willing to do His part 
toward making it work, and, if the people will only do 
theirs, I see no reason why it shouldn't work. And, 
now, what do you think about it?" 

''I am decidedly against it. I don't think it would 
work at all. Why, Mr. Middleton, if it were pos- 
sible, and the churches should all be united into one, 
it would only be a repetition of the history of the 
church under Catholicism, and I, for one, don't care 
to see that history repeated." 

By this time several others had joined them, and 
Mr. Middleton invited them to come inside. When they 
were all seated, he said : 

"You will agree, Mr. Potter, to the truthfulness 
of the old adage that 'like causes always produce like 
results,' will you not?" 

"Yes, sir, I am perfectly willing to admit that 
statement true." 

76 



PAVING THE WAY FOR UNION 

"Well, now, we all know that, under the reign of 
Catholicism, the church became exceedingly corrupt, 
but there was a cause for that corruption. Judging 
from your argument, you would have us believe that 
cause was the oneness of the church." 

**Yes, sir, that is my argument exactly. I main- 
tain that corruption was due to the fact that there 
was but one church." 

''Well, now, I am going to prove to you that that 
wasn't the cause. That period in the world's history, 
known as the 'Dark Ages,' was not the only period in 
which the church existed as a unit, but all through 
the first, second and third centuries there was only the 
one church, and yet those were the most prosperous 
years in the church's history. Now, you have admitted 
that like causes produce like results, and if the cor- 
ruption that existed in the church during the Dark 
Ages was the result of the unity of the church at that 
time, then, since like causes produce like results, the 
same results should have followed the unity of the 
church during the first three centuries. But since 
no such results followed, therefore we are forced 
to the conclusion that something else, and not the 
unity of the church, was the cause of that corrup- 
tion." 

"Well, if the unity of the church was not the 
cause of the corruption, then what was?" retorted 
Mr. Potter, in a tone indicating anger. 

"I'll give you my opinion on the subject, free of 
cost, if you will promise to be good and not get 
angry." 

77 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

"Well, go on with your argument; I am not as 
angry, perhaps, as you think. '^ 

"Very well, then. Paul, in his second letter to 
the Thessalonians, speaking of the second coming of 
Christ, assures us that event will not come until 'there 
first be a falling away, and that man of sin be re- 
vealed, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all 
that is called God; so that he, as G-od sitting in the 
temple of God, setteth himself forth as God.' What 
prophet of Old Testament history, Mr. Potter, ever 
drew a truer picture of an event or person then future 
than is drawn by the apostle Paul in this prophetic 
utterance, when applied to the Roman pontiffs, who 
ruled the apostate church during the Dark Ages? 
Under their rule, Christ, the great Head of the church, 
was practically deposed, and the Pope beame head 
in His stead. Under their rule, the Bible, given to the 
church by divine inspiration as a rule of faith and 
practice, was practically set aside and buried beneath 
the rubbish of pontifical decrees and mandates of 
councils appointed by him, until both priest and laity 
were absolute strangers to many of its simplest truths. 
Under their rule, the great Bible doctrine of justifica- 
tion by faith and obedience to the divine will of God 
was rendered inoperative by the pontifical decree 
authorizing the sale of indulgences and offering unto 
men pardon and absolution upon the payment of a 
certain price. It was in that usurpation of power and 
authority by the Roman pontiffs that the cause is to 
be found for the corruption that then existed in the 
church, Mr. Potter, and not in the fact that the church 

78 



PAVING THE WAY FOR UNION 

was a unit. In contrast witli this second period of 
churcli history place the first (the first three centuries), 
and note the difference. In the first period Christ, 
and not the Pope, was the recognized head of the 
church. Again, in that period the Bible, and not the 
decrees and mandates of councils appointed by the 
Pope, was the recognized rule of faith and practice 
for the church. In that period also faith in Christ and 
obedience to His divine will was the procuring cause 
of pardon, and not the payment to the Pope of certain 
fees. It was because of the fact, Mr. Potter, that 
the church, during the first three centuries, recognized 
Christ as its head and His word as its rule of faith 
and practice that it was able to maintain its unity 
and prosper. And it was because of the fact that the 
church, during the Dark Ages, recognized the Pope as 
its head and his decrees as its rule of conduct that it 
became vile and corrupt. Therefore, when we speak 
of reuniting the churches, it is understood, of course, 
that we mean such a union as existed in the first 
period, recognizing Christ as our head and His word 
as our guide, and not such as existed in the second 
period, recognizing the Pope as our head and human 
laws as our guide." 

"Say, Middleton, has this bank gone out of busi- 
ness and closed its front doors for good, or is it a 
legal holiday — which? I've been waiting a full half- 
hour for it to open,'' said a farmer, as he pushed open 
the side door and looked in. 

''No, Mr. Wade, this isn't a holiday, neither have 
•we suspended business entirely, though I admit it may 

6 79 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

seem so to an outsider, as it's a full half -hour past 
the time for opening, and the front door still closed. 
Really, I had forgotten it. However, Mr. Wade, if 
there are any damages due you for this neglect, I 
hope you will look to Mr. Potter for settlement, for he's 
the cause of the whole thing." 

"Well, I never knew before that Mr. Potter was a 
man of influence sufficient to stop the business of a 
town like this." 

''The fact is, Mr. Wade, Mr. Potter has been, for 
some time, afflicted with mental hallucination on a 
certain subject, and we've been operating on him this 
morning. We can't tell yet what the result of the 
operation will be, but we are hopeful it will do him 
good." 

"What, may I ask, is the subject that is causing 
him trouble?" 

"It's the subject of Christian union. Mr. Potter 
has gotten the idea into his head that, if the churches 
were united in one organization, it would soon be- 
come corrupt." 

"Well, I should like to see the experiment tried. 
Nothing disgusts me more than the present divided 
state of Christendom. But, by the way, this is the 
third crowd I've seen this morning discussing that 
subject. What does it mean, anyway?" 

"It means that the people are waking up and get- 
ting their eyes open to the evils of denominationalism, " 
said Mr. Middleton, "and it wouldn't surprise me if 
their waking up didn't result in some definite steps 
being taken toward the overthrow of denominationalism 

80 



PAVING THE WAY FOR UNION 

and the establisJunent of an organic ilnion among tlie 
churclies of the town/' 

''Well, all I have to say at this time is that you 
can count me on the side of union. I'm a Presby- 
terian, but I will willingly surrender any of my Pres- 
byterian peculiarities that stand in the way of a union 
based upon the teaching of God's word. But, say, 
Middleton, you had better go and open that front door, 
or the people will begin to think there's something 
wrong with this institution sure enough." 

"Very well; I'll go and do it right now before I 
forget it." 

The first persons to enter the building after the 
door was opened were Messrs. Lane and Sims. 

''We have been hunting for you the greater part 
of an hour, Bro. Middleton, and we were about to 
settle down to the belief that you had left town under 
cover of darkness and gone to parts unknown, after 
the custom of others belonging to your craft." 

"Well, I am happy to inform you, Bro. Lane, that 
I am still here, and ready to serve you in whatever way 
I can." 

"Then, since you are at leisure, and have volun- 
tarily expressed your willingness to serve us, I shall 
at once proceed to state to you the object of our 
coming. 

"You have doubtless noticed that the question of 
Christian union is, at present, engaging the attention 
of the people of our town more perhaps than ever 
before, and, since the benefits to be derived from such 
a union would, in our estimation, be of inestimable 

81 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

value to us all, therefore Bro. Sims and I have taken 
it upon ourselves to try to induce the churches at least 
to make an effort in that direction. After thinking 
the matter over, we concluded that, perhaps, the best 
way to proceed would be to call a mass-meeting of the 
citizens of the town and community, and let them 
discuss the matter. Accordingly, we have written out 
a notice, which we purpose having printed in our 
town paper, and which reads as follows: 

'' 'Whereas, Our blessed Lord, at the close of His 
earthly ministry, and just before He offered up His 
life in voluntary sacrifice upon the cross, prayed that 
His disciples might ''all be one," even as He and the 
Father were one, to the end that the world might 
believe that the Father had sent Him; and 

" 'Whereas, His early disciples, in harmony with 
that prayer, did remain one throughout the apostolic 
age and for two centuries succeeding, during which 
time the church was greatly prospered, in spite of the 
opposition of its enemies ; and 

" 'Whereas, The disciples of Christ in the world 
to-day have suffered themselves to be divided up into 
rival sects, so unlike each other in doctrine and prac- 
tice as to make it necessary for them to have separate 
houses in which to worship and separate preachers to 
serve them ; 

" 'Therefore, We, the undersigned members of the 
several churches of Alpha, believing such a state of the 
church to be contrary to the spirit of the Lord's 
Prayer and detrimental to His cause, beseech, request 
and urge that every Christian in our town and the 

82 



PAVING THE WAY FOR UNION 

comiimnity surrounding, together witli as many others 
as feel an interest in the matter, meet en masse at 
the Baptist Church at seven-thirty o'clock, Wednes- 
day evening of the week next after the publication 
of this notice, for the purpose of considering collec- 
tively our present condition, if haply it may lead us 
into a closer Christian fellowship with each other and 
with God. . 

*' 'And it is further requested that every Christian 
before leaving his home avail himself of the privilege 
God has accorded His children in this life of approach- 
ing Him at a throne of grace, and there plead for 
that spiritual perception and wisdom which God has 
promised to those who ask Him, that our work may 
rest, not upon the flimsy foundation of human wisdom 
alone, but upon the more enduring foundation of 
human wisdom, touched and molded by the divine 
Spirit of God/ 

•^'This, Bro. Middleton, is the plan which we have 
adopted for getting the matter before the people, and 
we have come to you for your signature as a represen- 
tative of the Christian Church, provided, of course, you 
think the plan a good one; otherwise, we shall be glad 
to consider any plan you may suggest for accomplish- 
ing the desired end." 

''I think your plan a good one, Bro. Lane, and I 
rejoice in the privilege of co-operating with you in 
so good a cause," said Mr. Middleton, as he wrote 
down his name. 

"It you want a Presbyterian's name attached to 
the document, and know of no other you would rather 

83 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

have, mine is at your service, Bro. Lane," suggested 
Mr. Wade. 

** Yours will be just as acceptable as any, Bro. 
Wade, so you may just write it down. Now, if we 
can get one of the 'Brethren' to sign it, we shall then 
have a representative from each church." 

''If you will just wait here a few minutes, I think 
I can bring you one who will sign it," said Mr. Drew, 
as he hurried out the front door. 

In a very few minutes he returned, bringing with 
him Mr. Sullivan, the blacksmith. 

"Yes, I'll sign it, and glad of the chance," he said 
when he had read it over; and, after affixing his signa- 
ture, he handed it back to Bro. Lane, saying: "Now, 
go on and publish to the world the fact that the Chris- 
tian people of Alpha are tired of denominationalism, 
and desire to return to that unity of the Spirit and 
bond of peace that characterized the church in its 
early history." 



84 



CHAPTER VIII. 
THE EDITOR AND CHRISTIAN UNION 

WHILE the subject of Christian Tinion had, for 
several days past, been the chief topic of con- 
versation in the town, yet the interest that had been 
manifested seemed tame when put into contrast with 
the interest that was manifested after the publication 
of the above notice. The editor had given it space in 
the center of the first page. A square, in length and 
breadth equal to the width of three columns, was sur- 
rounded by a host of miniature doves with outspread 
wings. At the top of the. square was an open Bible, 
and beneath, in large headline letters, were the words: 

^'DENOMINATIONALISM DOOMED TO DIE.*' 

And then, to give additional emphasis to his headlines, 
lance-like darts, emanating from the open pages of 
the Bible, were thrust through each of the letters in 
the word ' * Denominationalism. " In addition to giving 
the notice the most conspicuous place in his pape!i", he 
also published in the same issue an editorial in which 
the evils of denominationalism and the benefits of 
organic union were both discussed in a masterly way, 
closing his article with a strong appeal to all Chris- 
tians to lay aside all prej.udice, and come to the 
proposed meeting with only one thought and purpose 

85 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

in mind, and that to know and do the will of the 
Lord. The editor was a member of the Presbyterian 
Church, and to him was due no little credit for the 
success of the movement that had been launched. The 
editor occupies a unique position in a community. The 
conduct of persons is largely the result of the thoughts 
they entertain; and, as the editor is a molder of 
thoughts, it is easy to see his relationship to the con- 
duct of the people among whom he labors. What a 
grand thing it would be if all editors were devout 
Christians, and thoroughly Pauline in their denuncia- 
tion of the party spirit among Christians. In that 
case, they would be a mighty factor in the world for 
the promotion of the cause of union among the people 
of God. 

But, alas ! all are not Christians, and many who 
are not Pauline on the subject of Christian union, 
and hence their influence is divided — some for and 
some against. But the editor of the Alpha Weekly 
was heartily in favor of union, and when that issue 
containing the notice of the mass-meeting and the 
strong editorial on the subject of union was put before 
the public, the whole town and community surrounding 
became thoroughly aroused. 

The subject of Christian union was discussed from 
morning till night. Telephones were pressed into ser- 
vice, and even before the noon hour of Friday the 
news of the proposed meeting was known in many of 
the surrounding towns and villages, in one of which 
Bro. Mason, the Baptist preacher, lived. When the 
news was made known to him, he decided at once to 

86 



THE EDITOR AND CHRISTIAN UNION 

go to Alpha that afternoon, instead of waiting until 
Saturday, as he had been accustomed to do. 

When he reached the town that afternoon, he went 
direct to the home of Mr. Potter, where he found a 
paper and read the notice, and also the article written 
by the editor. 

''It seems to me, Bro. Potter," he said, as he laid 
the paper aside, "that Bro. Sims is taking undue 
authority in permitting a meeting of that kind to be 
held in the Baptist Church. Did he consult any one 
about it? But, of course, not; why should I ask such 
a question, since I know the man so well? It is not 
characteristic of him to consult any one as to matters 
of conduct." 

''I am sure you are mistaken about that, Bro. 
Mason. I think you will find, upon investigation, that 
he consulted all of the trustees before granting such 
permission." 

"Well, all I have to say is I have very little faith 
in such a meeting resulting in any good, and I shall 
tell them so Sunday morning in no uncertain t(mes. I 
regard the whole thing a species of rebellion against 
God. I believe it was for wise and beneficent reasons 
that God permitted His church to be divided up as it 
is to-day, and I further believe that, in His own good 
time and way, God Himself will bring all these con- 
tending parties into unison." 

Bro. Mason spent the remainder of the afternoon 
and Saturday visiting among his brethren, and was 
greatly surprised to find at least two out of every three 
whom he visited decidedly in favor of the new move- 

87 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

ment, a revelation which, served to swerve him from 
the course he had planned to pursue, and on Sunday 
morning, instead of bitterly denouncing the union 
movement and its supporters, he preached a strong 
sermon along the. line of Christian living. 

Greatly to the surprise of Bro. Lane, Bro. Clark, 
when he came, expressed himself as heartily in favor 
of the proposed mass-meeting. 

''My mind has undergone a few changes regarding 
the subject of Christian union since I talked with you 
two weeks ago," he said, while they were sitting to- 
gether in Mr. Lane's home, "and I am glad you have 
called this meeting. It will do no harm to get together 
and talk the matter over, and may do great good." 

''I am pleased to find you frank enough to admit 
an error when you have been convinced of it, Bro. 
Clark. I fear that some of our preachers, and laymen, 
too, are lacking in such frankness; and, to my mind, 
that lack of frankness to admit an error is going to 
be one of the chief obstacles in the way of organic 
union. ' ' 

''I believe you are right, Bro. Lane; there is some- 
thing in humanity that makes it difficult for a person 
to recant a position which he has taken before the 
public; but, if a man will only use a little common 
sense, he will find sufficient evidence of his fallibility 
to convince him of the possibility of his being, or 
having been, in error at some time in life. In my 
estimation, he is much more a man who will confess an 
error and turn from it, than he who will continue 
in it after having been convinced." 

88 



THE EDITOR AND CHRISTIAN UNION 

"You have spoken my sentiments, exactly, Bro. 
Clark, and I trust that, in the work which now lies 
before us, we may all be able to 'acquit ourselves 
like men.' " 

On the ''Lord's Day" Bro. Clark was at his best, 
and preached two strong sermons to good audiences, 
and the general verdict of those who heard him was 
that they had been edified and strengthened. He also 
spoke of the coming meeting, and urged all to be sure 
and attend. 

The five men whose names were signed to the public 
notice met in conference Sunday afternoon at the home 
of Mr. Sullivan, the blacksmith, for the purpose of 
outlining a course of procedure for the Wednesday 
evening meeting. After some discussion, it was decided 
to have one main address, dealing with the church 
from a twofold standpoint: First, "As God Intended 
It to Be," and, second, "As It Really Is." Following 
this, a brief address, designed to show the extent of 
agreement already existing between the five churches 
of the town. 

This course was adopted hoping that, after the 
people had caught a glimpse of the ideal church in 
contrast with the real, and had had their attention 
called to the agreement already existing between them, 
they would then be the more willing to adjust those 
petty differences which were in the way of their union. 

The work of preparing and delivering the first ad- 
dress was imposed on Mr. Middleton by his four asso- 
ciates, while Mr. Combs, the editor, was to be asked 
to deliver the second. 

89 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

The question of inviting the preachers to attend 
the meeting was brought up, and, after some discus- 
sion, it was decided to send each of them a formal 
invitation, to which should be attached the same sig- 
natures which appeared in the published notice. These 
invitations were prepared at once, and personally de- 
livered to Bros. Clark and Mason at the evening 
service. The others were sent through the mail. Mr. 
Sims delivered the invitation to Bro. Mason when he 
went to the service that evening. After he had read 
it, he said: "I shall not be here. I shall just let them 
run it to suit themselves." 

''I trust, Bro. Mason, yuu will change your mind 
between this and Wednesday, and decide to come." 

"I shall have to change my mind, Bro. Sims, if 
I am here," he said, as he turned and walked away. 

Interest in the coming meeting increased with each 
succeeding day. At six o'clock Wednesday evening all 
the business houses in the town were closed for the 
day. When Mr. Lane went over to the Baptist Church 
at seven o'clock, he found it filled to its utmost capac- 
ity. Approaching a group of men who were standing 
on the outside, he said : 

''Brethren, what are we to do? We are not going 
to be able to make this meeting a success under condi- 
tions like this. It is my candid opinion that this house 
will not accommodate one-half of the people who will 
be here. It is full now, and yet it is a full half-hour 
until the time for the service to begin." 

''Where there's a will, there's a way," said Mr. 
Drew. "It's only a short distance over to the amphi- 

90 



THE EDITOR AND CHRISTIAN UNION 

theater at the Fairgrounds — just a few minutes' walk. 
Why not hold the meeting there?'* 

"That would have been an ideal place for such a 
meeting, had we only thought of it in time to have 
made the necessary arrangements.'' 

"All the necessary arrangements can be made for 
the meeting to begin on time, if you think that the 
•place to hold it." 

"It's the only place that will accommodate the 
crowd, Bro. Drew, and if you think you can perfect 
the arrangements in so short a time, I say do it." 

"I can do it with the assistance of eight or ten 
men. ' ' 

"Well, we'll see if there are not that number of 
men here who are willing to help you. Those of you 
who are willing to volunteer your services will please 
step over on this side. There, Bro. Drew, is a whole 
dozen at your service, and it is now up to you to make 
good your promise." 

"With this army of assistants, I think we shall 
make good. You, Bro. Lane, may just wait here until 
a quarter after seven, then adjourn the audience to 
meet at the amphitheater at seven-thirty, by which time 
I promise you we will have all things ready." 

"Well, Bro. Drew, you have redeemed your promise 
in grand style," exclaimed Mr. Lane, twenty-five min- 
utes later, when he appeared at the amphitheater, and 
saw him and several others sitting in chairs upon a 
commodious rostrum which they had erected by placing 
one end of heavy boards upon one of the seats of 

91 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

the amphitheater and supporting the center and outer 
ends with trestles. Upon either side of the rostrum 
was an upright piece, each supporting a gasoline torch. 
Other torches were hung here and there upon posts 
which supported the roof of the amphitheater. A long 
table, used by the Fair Association for exhibiting 
fruits, had been placed on the rostrum to serve both 
as a pulpit and desk for the clerk to write on. 

"It is just an ideal place and an ideal evening, 
and I trust we shall have an ideal meeting," said 
Mr. Lane, as he stepped upon the rostrum, and laid 
his Bible upon the table. 



92 



CHAPTER IX. 
THE MASS-MEETING 

PROMPTLY at seven-thirty Mr. Combs, the editor, 
stepped upon the rostrum, and, after rapping for 
order, said: ''Ladies and gentlemen, when last week 
I published to the world (or as much of the world 
as my little paper reaches) the notice of this meeting, 
it was with a fervent prayer to God that the people 
of this town would heed the call, and give to this 
meeting the inspiration of their presence. When I 
looked out over this audience, by far the greatest 
religious audience that has ever assembled in our town, 
I said to myself, God has answered my prayer. But, 
in conversation with some of the brethren a few 
moments ago, I found mine was not the only prayer 
that had been offered, but that perhaps scores of others 
during the past week have prayed for the same thing. 
So I no longer look upon this audience as an answer 
to my prayer alone, but as an answer to the combined 
prayers of perhaps scores of men and women who have 
grown tired of divisions and who desire union. 

''But merely meeting together as we have this eve- 
ning is not going to remove the barriers which stand 
in the way of our union. To do this requires work — 
a work that calls for the very best faculties of mind 

93 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

and heart. Yea, and more also ; we shall need that 
heavenly wisdom which God has promised to give lib- 
erally to those of His children who ask in faith. So, 
with a consciousness of our own weakness, let us hum- 
bly bow ourselves before G-od, while a number of the 
brethren, and sisters, too, in brief, but earnest, prayer 
shall ask God for His guidance in our deliberations." 
When the season of prayer was over, the congrega- 
tion sang that old song beginning 

' * Must Jesus bear the cross alone, 
And all the world go free? 
No, there's a cross for every one, 
And there 's a cross for me. ' ' 

Mr. Combs: "It may be that some of us will be 
called upon to bear unexpected crosses in order to 
consummate the union we have in mind, but I trust, 
brethren, that no cross, however great, will deter us 
from doing our whole duty. Now, in order that we 
may better proceed with our work, it will be necessary 
for you to select some one to act as chairman, and also 
some one to serve as clerk." 

Mr. Lane was chosen for the former position, and 
Mr. Jones for the latter. 

Mr. Lane : ' ' I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for 
the honor you have conferred upon me in calling me to 
preside at this meeting, which, in my estimation, prom- 
ises to be the most important ever held within the 
corporate limits of our little town — important because 
of its common bearing upon all. In my estimation, 
there is not a person here, whether Christian or other- 
wise, but would feel that he had been benefited should 

94 



THE MASS-MEETING 



the object of the meeting be fully realized. Think 
what it would mean to the Christian element of our 
town and community to have sectarianism; with its 
consequent bitterness, prejudice and strife, forever 
driven from our midst, and Christian union, with its 
consequent peace, good will and brotherly love, in- 
stalled in its stead. Think what it would mean to 
the non- Christian element if, instead of seeing the 
church of Jesus Christ all cut up_ into rival sects and 
warring against each other, that element should behold 
Christians all dwelling together in unity, manifesting 
toward each other the spirit of brotherly love and help- 
fulness in time of need. Think you not that such a 
sight would have a tendency to convince them that 
there is indeed a reality in the Christian religion? It 
certainly would, my friends, and to bring about such 
a state is the object of our coming together this 
evening. 

**I am glad to see at least three of- our town 
pastors present. I had hoped that all of them would 
be here, and take part in our deliberations. While the 
laity is responsible for the inauguration of this move- 
ment, yet there was no disposition on the part of any 
to in any way ignore the clergy. Indeed, but for the 
knowledge we had of the fact that at least two of our 
preachers were opposed to organic union, the pastors 
themselves would have been asked to call this meeting; 
but, with two of them opposed to organic union, we 
felt that the only course which bade fair of success was 
for the laity to take the matter up and invite the 
preachers to co-operate, which we did." 

7 95 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Mr. Potter: *'I will say, Bro. Lane, that my boy 
has gone to the station to meet Bro. Mason, whom we 
were expecting on the train which passed through a 
few minutes ago, and I presume he will be here 
shortly. ' ' 

Mr. Middleton: "Permit me also, Mr. Chairman, 
to read, in explanation of Bro. Birch's absence, a 
brief note which I received from him to-day: 'Dear 
Bro. Middleton — Please tender to those brethren re- 
sponsible for the invitation I received Monday to be 
present at the meeting this evening my sincere thanks 
for the same, and tell them that, while I can not be 
present because of a funeral service I am called upon 
to conduct this afternoon, yet they have my prayers 
and the very best wishes of my heart for the success 
of the undertaking. Yours fraternally, J. C. Birch.' " 

While Mr. Middleton was reading the above note, 
Bro. Mason, accompanied by Mr. Potter's son, came, 
and was seated near Mr. and Mrs. Potter. 

Mr. Lane : "I regret very much Bro. Birch 's in- 
ability to be here. Now that Bro. Mason has come, we 
have all our pastors present save him. However, we 
are glad to know that he is in sympathy with us, and 
that we are to have the benefit of his prayers. "We 
are now ready to proceed with the program, and the 
first item is an address by Bro. Middleton on the sub- 
ject, 'The Church as Seen from a Twofold Standpoint: 
First, As G-od Intended It to Be, and, second. As It 
Really Is.' " 

Mr. Middleton: "I want to read you a single verse 
of Scripture. I shall read the fifteenth verse of the 

96 



THE MASS-MEETING 



third chapter of 1 Timothy: 'But that thou mayest 
know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the 
church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the 
truth.' These words were addressed by the apostle 
Paul to Timothy. I have not read this verse as a text 
from which to preach a sermon, but merely because of 
a phrase which it contains.. From this verse we learn 
that there is an institution here upon earth, known 
as the 'church of the living God,' to which Timothy 
belonged, and Paul, in his letter to Timothy, was 
giving him instructions how to live as a member of 
that institution. In my estimation, the church is the 
grandest institution ever inaugurated upon the earth. 
Men have devised a great many institutions having 
for their object the welfare of humanity, but these all 
sink into insignificance when compared with the church 
of the living God. As the heavens are higher than the 
earth, and as God 's thoughts are higher than the 
thoughts of men, so the church of the living God stands 
triumphantly above every other institution that has 
ever been inaugurated upon the earth, having for its 
object not only man's temporal, but his spiritual, 
welfare as well. 

''I want to speak first of the 'Ideal Church,' and 
then of the 'Real..' I use the term 'Ideal Church' to 
represent the church as it "existed in the mind of God, 
or as God intended it to-be, and I use the term 'Real 
Church' to represent the church as it has actually 
existed upon the earth. Now, that there is a wide dif- 
ference between the ideal and the real, I freely admit, 
but that difference can be accounted for, in part at 

97 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

least, upon the ground that the ideal is the work of 
God alone, while the real is the work of God and man 
combined. In other words, the real church, as it has 
actually existed here upon the earth, simply represents 
the efforts of man to reach the divine ideal ; but when 
we trace the history of man from his creation down 
to the present time, we find that he has ever proven 
himself to be a weak and erring creature, full of 
imperfections and shortcomings, and these imperfec- 
tions and shortcomings of man have been stamped 
upon the real church in every age of its existence. 
Perhaps the nearest approach the real church has ever 
made to the divine ideal was during the apostolic age; 
but even the apostolic church, excepting a few years of 
its very earliest history, fell short of the divine ideal, 
for there were imperfections even in the apostolic 
church. But it may be asked. Why has God placed 
before man an ideal that he has never been able to 
attain? Why did He not lower the standard? I answer, 
God could not, in harmony with His nature, have done 
otherwise than to have placed before man a perfect 
ideal. God Himself is perfect, and everything that 
emanates from Him is perfect. Man himself was a 
perfect being when he came from the creative hand 
of God, made, we are told, in the very likeness and 
image of God Himself. This old earth of ours was 
a perfect world when it rolled from God's creative 
hand to take its place in the great system of worlds 
that was to make up the universe. There was not a 
single thorn nor thistle nor noxious weed to mar its 
beauty and its grandeur. These things are the result 

98 



THE MASS-MEETING 



of man's imperfections and shortcomings; man's failure 
to live up to the divine ideal; not of his inability, but 
of his failure. God hasn't placed before man an ideal 
that it is impossible for him to reach, but, on the 
contrary, every provision of the gospel is clearly 
within the power of man to attain. 

''Let us, then, take a look into the ideal church, 
and note some of the characteristics of those who com- 
pose it. I raise the question: What is the ideal 
church ? I answer, first, negatively, by saying the 
ideal church is not a structure of wood or stone or 
brick, graven by art and man's device, adorned and 
embellished until it dazzles with its beauty and gran- 
deur — not that ; neither is it the more humble structure, 
erected by loyal souls at the sacrifice even of the 
necessaries of life. These things are but the shell, 
the outer casing, and are no more the church of the 
living God than are the houses in which we live, the 
families they contain. What, then, is the ideal church? 
The ideal church is an association of men and women 
under Christ as their great head and leader, hence we 
read that ' God put all things, under his feet, and gave 
him to be head over all things in the church.' In the 
ideal church, then, we have presented to the mind the 
picture of a great body composed of men and women, 
and the whole body moving about under the direction 
of Christ, its great head and leader. 

''But this grand company of men and women who 
compose the church, or body, of Christ were not drawn 
promiscuously out from the world, but they are per- 
sons who, having come in contact with certain great 

99 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

truths, accepted them and incorporated them into their 
lives, and were by them transformed into new, and, 
when compared with their former selves, into peculiar, 
persons ; persons recognizing God as their common 
Father and Jesus Christ as their common brother, 
under whose leadership they hope, by and by, to reach 
that heavenly Canaan He has gone to prepare for them. 
And here, my friends, in this grand company of men 
and women, bound together under Christ with the 
strong cords of Christian love and fellowship, is to be 
found the ideal church of the living God, whether they 
have a house in which to worship or not. 

"Let us now notice some of the characteristics of 
those who composed the ideal church. In the first 
place, they were a loving people, and their love was 
an unselfish love, flowing out in every direction toward 
God and toward man. They loved God with all their 
heart, soul, mind and strength; they loved His Christ; 
they loved one another. Indeed, it was that very love 
which they cherished in their hearts toward each other 
that was to them the strongest evidence possible of 
their acceptance with God. 

"They knew they had passed from death unto life, 
not because of some strange vision they had seen or 
voice they had heard at the time of their conversion, 
but 'because they loved the brethren.* 

"Again, these people who composed the ideal church 
were an unselfish people. In this respect they partook 
of the nature of Christ, their great head, of whom it is 
said, 'He pleased not himself,' but willingly offered 
up His life in voluntary sacrifice for others; and this 

100 



THE MASS-MEETING 



characteristic of Christ God expected to be exemplified 
in the lives of His followers. Hence the admonition: 
'Let no man seek his own, but every man another's 
wealth.' Again: 'Look not every man on his own 
things, but every man also on the things of others.' 
And again: 'Be kindly affectioned one to another with 
brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.' 

"Again, those persons who composed the ideal 
church were a forgiving people. In the ideal church, 
or church as God intended it to be, there was no such 
thing as persons living together month after month 
and year after year without speaking; but when a 
difficulty arose, steps were immediately taken to remedy 
it, and the initiatory was always taken by the one 
least in fault, according to the rule laid down by 
Christ, when he said: 'If thy brother offend thee, go 
to him, and between thee and him alone tell him his 
fault.' And I believe, brethren, that, nine times out of 
ten, all our difficulties could be adjusted, if we would 
only proceed according to that rule. 

"Again, those people who composed the ideal 
church were an evangelistic people. They not only 
enjoyed their religion themselves, but their hearts' 
desire and prayer to God was that others might be 
sharers together with them of the blessings of the 
Christian religion. Hence we find it to be the purpose 
of God, according to the great commission, that His 
people should go everywhere preaching to the people 
the unsearchable riches of Christ; nor wSre they to 
cease even under the most bitter persecution that the 
enemies of Christ could bring upon them. 

101 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

"And last, bnt not least, those who composed the 
ideal church were a united people. They stood together 
as one man against a common foe. There were no 
warring sects among them ; no contending parties vieing 
with each other in their efforts to do honor to party 
leaders, but to them Christ was their all and in alL 
Thev recognized Him as the Leader, Lawgiver, Priest 
and King, and the cry of their hearts was: 'Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?' 

"Such, my friends, were some — not all — of the char- 
acteristics of those who composed the ideal church, or 
the church as it existed in the mind of God. But the 
real church has never attained the divine ideal. As 
already stated, its nearest approach to the ideal was 
in the apostolic age ; but when we trace the history 
of the real church from the apostolic age, we find that, 
after the first three hundred years, there was a gradual 
decline, a falling away, from the divine ideal, and even 
from the real, as that church existed in the apostolic 
age, until, after a period of more than a thousand 
years, we find the real church at almost opposite poles 
from the divine ideal. At that period in its history 
Christ was no longer recognized as its sole and only 
head, but a rival head had sprung up in the person of 
the Roman pontiff, claiming equal authority with 
Christ Himself. Truly, friends, this was the period 
in the church's history referred to by Paul in his 
second letter to the Thessalonians, when he said, speak- 
ing of th^ second coming of Christ, that 'that day 
shall not come except there come a falling away first, 
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

102 



THE MASS-MEETING 



who opposeth and exalteth. hirnself above all that is 
called God or that is worshipped; so that he as God 
sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he 
is God.' Friends, no prophet of Old Testament history 
ever drew a truer pictare of an event or person then 
future than is drawn by the apostle Paul in this 
prophetic utterance, when applied to the Eoman pon- 
tiffs, who ruled the church of the living G^d during 
the Dark Ages. Under their rule, Christ, the God- 
appointed head of the church, was practically deposed, 
and the Pope became head in His stead, thus literally 
setting himself forth as God. Under their rule, the 
Bible, that was given the church by divine inspiration 
as a guide to Christian conduct, was set aside and 
buried beneath the rubbish of pontifical decrees and 
mandates of councils appointed by him, until both 
priests and laity were as ignorant of its contents as 
modern scientists are of the interior of the earth. 
Under their rule, the great doctrine of justification 
through faith and obedience to the divine will of God, 
as taught in the New Testament Scriptures, was prac- 
tically annulled by the pontifical decree authorizing the 
sale of indulgences, and pardon and absolution were 
offered unto men upon the payment of a certain price. 
''It was against this usurpation of power and 
authority that Martin Luther hurled his anathemas 
and started the church on the upgrade again. But it 
has been more than four hundred years since Martin 
Luther, iQ defiance of the power that then ruled the 
church, turned the switch, as it were, and started the 
old gospel train back toward f at high ideal and per- 

103 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

feet brotherhood which God had in mind when He 
organized it; yet it has never reached it. Indeed, the 
church, as a whole, has not yet regained the position 
that the real church occupied in the apostolic age, to 
say nothing of its having attained the divine ideal. 
When we take the church of to-day and place it along- 
side the apostolic church for comparison, we are bound 
to admit that it is deficient in many important points. 
In the first place, there is not that Christian love and 
fellowship that was characteristic of those who com- 
posed the apostolic church — that spirit of brotherly 
love' which bound them together as members of the 
same common family, and made them solicitous for 
each other's welfare, not alone for their spiritual, but 
for their temporal, welfare as well. There were no 
hungry orphans in the apostolic church crying for 
bread while others were feasting upon the fat of the 
land. There were no hollow-eyed and careworn widows 
toiling night and day in an effort to keep the wolf of 
starvation from their doors, while their sisters in the 
church, clad in silks and satins, were gadding the 
streets in luxurious idleness or entertaining an elite 
club with a seven-course repast. 

''My friends, no such conditions as these existed 
in the apostolic church. There they stood together as 
members of onp comm.on family; rich and poor dwelt 
upon one common level, and each stood ready to help 
the other in time of need. Hence we read that 'the 
multitude of them that believed were of one heart and 
one soul,' and 'they had all things common; neither 
were there any among them who lacked, for as many 

104 



THE MASS-MEETING 



as had houses or lands sold them, and brought the 
price of the things that were sold, and laid it down 
at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made to 
every man according as he had need/ 

''Such, friends, was the Christian love and fellow- 
ship that existed among those who composed the church 
of the living God that was organized at Jerusalem in 
the first century; and I pray God, brethren, that the 
church of to-day, in her journey from the apostasy of 
Rome back toward the divine ideal, may soon reach the 
tablelands of Jerusalem, and catch anew that spirit 
of brotherly love that will cement into one grand 
brotherhood the hearts of rich and poor alike, until it 
can be said of them, as of the disciples of old, that 
they are 'all of one heart and one soul; neither is there 
any among them who lack,' for in the church of the 
living God brother stands ready to help brother, and 
sister to help sister, in every time of need. 

"Brethren, God never intended that His poor and 
needy ones should seek sympathy and aid through the 
medium of some fraternal organization apart from His 
church. In the ideal church, God has made provision 
to meet all the needs of His children, both temporal 
and spiritual. Don't think from this statement, friends, 
that I am an enemy to fraternal organizations, for I 
am not. I appreciate the work that these organizations 
have done, and are doing, and I predict they will 
remain with us as long as there is a need for their 
existence, and that need will continue as long as the 
church continues to neglect her duty to the poor and 
needy, and the church will neglect that duty as long 

105 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

as it continues in its present divided state. It can not 
do otherwise, for the church, as an organization, has 
rendered itself incompetent to adequately care for the 
poor and helpless by squandering its means in the 
work of building rival church-houses and supporting 
rival preachers, both in the home and in the foreign field. 

''Did you ever stop to think what a grand fund 
the church would have at its command, to be used for 
benevolent and charitable purposes, if the money spent 
in building rival church-houses and supporting rival 
preachers had only been put into a fund to be used for 
such purposes? 

"When we take the church of to-day, with its 
warring sects and consequent bitterness, strife and 
envy,^and compare it with that grand brotherhood of 
eighteen hundred years ago, we are bound to admit 
that it is far below the standard even of the apostolic 
church, to say nothing of the divine ideal. 

"I am aware of the fact that, at one time, the 
spirit of sectism crept into the church at Corinth, and 
threatened its disorganization, but the apostle Paul 
rushed to the rescue, and drove out the spirit ere it 
could accomplish its purpose. There were some in that 
church who were ardent admirers of Paul, others of 
Apollos, and others still of Cephas, and so the church 
was being split up into Paulites, Apollosites and Ce- 
phasites, but Paul severely rebuked that sectarian 
spirit, saying unto them: 'Who is Paul, and who is 
Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed? Is Christ 
divided ? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you bap- 
tized into the name of Paul?' As much as to say: 

106 



THE MASS-MEETING 



'No, brethren, you were not baptized into my name, 
but into the name of Christ; therefore it is His name, 
and not the name of Paul or of Ap olios or of Cephas, 
that you ought to be wearing and glorying in.' 

*'0h that some modern Paul might arise and ad- 
minister unto the church of to-day the rebuke that it 
deserves for fostering the party spirit by exalting and 
wearing the names of men, instead of that all-signif- 
icant name 'Christian,' which God has given us to 
wear in honor of His Son! In the language of Paul, 
brethren, let me ask in conclusion: Who was John the 
Baptist? Who was Martin Luther? Who was John 
Calvin? Who was John Wesley? Who was Alexander 
Campbell? but simply ministers by whom we were 
made believers in Jesus Christ. Is Christ divided? 
Was John the Baptist crucified for us, or were we 
baptized in the name of John, or Luther, or Calvin, or 
Wesley, or Campbell? No, we were all baptized into 
the name of Christ; therefore let us honor Him by 
wearing His name, and that to the exclusion of all 
party names, and then shall be removed one of the 
greatest barriers that stand in the way of union.'' 



107 



A 



CHAPTER X. 
POINTS OF AGREEMENT 

T the close of Mr. Middleton's address the congre- 
gation sang a few verses of that old song: 

''How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 
Is laid for vour faith in His excellent word." 



Chairman: 'Brethren, having listened to this ad- 
mirable address of Bro. Middleton and caught through 
it a glimpse of that grand brotherhood that composed 
the church in its early history, we are even more 
anxious than before to have the barriers removed, and 
ourselves to become component parts of a similar broth- 
erhood. The question, however, may be asked: 'Can 
those barriers be removed?' I think they can. In 
fact, I believe the barriers that stand in our way are 
less formidable and less numerous than many suppose 
who have never given the subject any special thought. 
In other words, there is more agreement between us 
than many imagine. We will now listen to an address 
by Bro. Combs on the subject, 'Facts Concerning 
Which We All Agree.' " 

Mr. Combs : " I desire, first of all, ladies and gentle- 
men, to congratulate you upon your good fortune in 
being permitted to listen to Bro. Middleton's admirable 

108 



i 



POINTS OF AGREEMENT 



address. It was certainly fuU of thouglits worthy of 
place in your memory. 

''I have been asked to address yon on the subject, 
'Facts Concerning Which "We All Agree.' Of course, 
we understand that the facts referred to in the. subject 
are facts concerning the Christian religion, for that is 
the subject under consideration here this evening. 

''The audience before me represents at least five 
different church organizations. Each of these organi- 
zations is supposed to stand for certain doctrinal 
truths, and the logic of denominationalism is that those 
truths are of such vital importance that persons be- 
lieving the truths as taught by one church couldn't 
worship God acceptably with those who do not believe 
them, and hence the demand for separate church-houses 
in which to worship. 

"Now, it is not my purpose this evening to try to 
show you the inconsistency of denominationalism, nor 
even to attempt to show you in how rtiany things we 
must agree in order to be able to worship together 
harmoniously, but merely to show you the extent of 
agreement already existing between the several churches 
of our town, hoping that such a view will create in 
us that earnest longing for perfect agreement that will 
nerve us for the task of removing the barriers that 
stand in the way of our union. 

"In the first place, we all believe in God. We 
are not among those wha deny the presence of God in 
the universe. We do not believe, as some claim to 
believe, that the heavens above us and the earth beneath 
us are the result of mere chance. We are one in 

109 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

OTir acceptance of that statement of Holy "Writ whicli 
declares that 'in the beginning God created the heavens 
and the earth.' 

*'But we not only agree in our belief of the exist- 
ence of God, but we agree also as to the various attri- 
butes of His nature and character. 

''We believe that God is all-powerful. We can not 
believe that a world like this one upon which we live, 
to say nothing of the tens of thousands of others, could 
have been brought into existence by a being possessed 
only of limited power. Hence, beholding the wonderful 
works of God, we are all one in ascribing unto Him 
unlimited power. 

"But we not only ascribe unto Him unlimited 
power, but unlimited wisdom as well. We look out 
upon the great system of worlds, and see them moving 
about in their respective orbits, some in one direction 
and some in another ; some apparently crossing the 
pathway of its neighboring planet, yet never colliding, 
never interfering, but each completing its orbit with 
such marked regularity that our astronomers are able 
to tell, years in advance, just when an eclipse will 
occur; and this wonderful regularity in the movement 
of the various planets has led us to the common belief 
that the being who controls them is a being of un- 
limited wisdom. 

"But we not only ascribe unto God unlimited power 
and wisdom, but we ascribe unto Him also the attri- 
butes of love, mercy and compassion. Our belief, how- 
ever, in these attributes of the Deity isn't based upon 
the same evidence that our belief in His power and 

110 



POINTS OF AGREEMENT 



wisdom is based upon. Nature has taught us the 
power and wisdom of God, but nature doesn't teach 
us the love, mercy and compassion of God. There are, 
I admit, some things in nature that would seem to 
indicate that the God of nature was possessed of these 
attributes, but other things seem to contradict it. The 
warm sunshine and gentle showers of the springtime 
nurture into life the tiny seeds which the farmer sows, 
and, as he sees the plants expanding and giving 
promise of an abundant harvest, he is wont to believe 
that the God of nature is possessed of the attributes 
of love, mercy and compassion. But when, just before 
the harvest-time, nature gathers together the winds 
from the four quarters of the earth, compresses them 
into bombs of cyclonic fury and sends them sweeping 
across his fields, leaving only wreckage and ruin be- 
hind, that farmer finds it rather difficult to believe that 
the God of nature is possessed of the attributes of love, 
mercy and compassion. Indeed, every one who relies 
altogether upon the works of nature for their evidence 
of the love and mercy of God will often find occasion 
to doubt. 

''For this evidence we must turn to the Bible, and 
this, friends, leads me to speak of another fact which 
we all believe in common; viz., that ihe Bible is an 
inspired book; that it came from God, and contains a 
record of God's dealing with man for a period of more 
than four thousand years. There is no difference 
between us here. We all believe alike with respect to 
the origin of the Book. 

8 111 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPi. 

'* Accepting then, as we do, the Bible as a book 
inspired of God, we naturally believe in common a 
great many things that are taught therein. 

''We believe the Bible record of the creation of 
man; his sojourn in the Garden of Eden; his tempta- 
tion and fall; his expulsion from the Garden; his sepa- 
ration from the tree of life, and consequent death. 

"We believe the record of Cain and Abel, and of 
the world growing more and more corrupt, until all, 
save Noah and his family, were destroyed in the waters 
of a great flood which God brought upon the earth. 

"We believe that from the descendants of Noah 
the earth was repeopled, and that, in the process of 
time, fearing another flood, they conceived the idea 
of building a great tower as a means of escape from 
such a calamity, which work resulted in the confusion 
of tongues and the dispersion of the people into various 
lands. 

"We believe the Bible record of God's call to 
Abraham to become the father of the Israelitish nation ; 
of that nation's sojourn and oppression in the land of 
Egypt; of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage by 
the hand of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and of 
their subsequent settlement in the land of Canaan. 

"We believe that the nation which sprang from 
the loins of Abraham was intended to be a peculiar 
treasure unto the Lord, the object of His especial love 
and care, and that, through it. He promised a great 
blessing to all the world. 

"We believe that promise was fulfilled when Christ, 
the promised seed of Abraham, came, and, by His 

112 



POINTS OF AGREEMENT 



death upon the cross, slew the enmity that existed 
between the Jew and Gentile. As Paul says: 'Having 
abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of com- 
mandments contained in ordinances; that he might 
create in himself of the two one new man, so making 
peace; and might reconcile them both in one body 
unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity 
thereby.' Hence we all believe in the divine mission 
of Christ: that He was the Son, and sent of God, for 
the purpose of effecting a reconciliation between re- 
bellious man and his God. 

''We believe that Christ, in order to accomplish His 
work of reconciliation, inaugurated upon earth an 
institution known in New Testament history as His 
'church' or 'kingdom.' We believe also that the pur- 
pose of Christ in establishing this institution was that 
rebellious men might become members thereof, and, 
by conforming their lives to the laws of His kingdom, 
might develop in this life those characteristics that 
would enable them to live in peace with God in the 
world to come. 

"We believe also that Christ, as the mediator be- 
tween God and man, had the right, the power pleni- 
potentiary, to dictate to rebellious men the terms of 
their reconciliation with God. We believe also that 
the terms of reconciliation, as announced to the world 
by Christ and His inspired apostles, have been ratified 
at the court of heaven, and that, in harmony with 
those terms, God now requires every alien sinner, in 
order to his reconciliation, to believe in His Son Jesus 
Christ, and submit themselves to His authority. 

113 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

"We all believe, then, that faith in Christ is the 
foundation of the sinner's hope. 

"We aU believe that God requires every believer 
in Christ to repent, lay down his arms of rebellion, 
and swear eternal allegiance unto Christ. 

"We aU believe that God requires every penitent 
believer in Christ to be baptized. 

"We all believe that God requires every baptized, 
penitent believer to live a sober, moral and righteous 
life here on earth; to 'add to their faith, virtue, knowl- 
edge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kind- 
ness and love.' To such as these, we all believe, 
God has promised *an abundant entrance into the 
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ.' 

"Such, my friends, are some of the facts concern- 
ing which, I am persuaded, we all agree. These facts 
are fundamental. They constitute the basis upon which 
rests the whole scheme of human redemption; and, in 
view of our agreement upon these fundamental facts 
concerning the Christian religion, I submit to you, my 
brethren, whether our disagreement over things of 
minor importance doesn't seem a little childish and 
inconsistent, to say the least of it, and whether, in 
your estimation, it isn't our plain duty before God to 
look these minor differences squarely in the face, and, 
if possible, remove them." 

Chairman: "In reply to Bro. Combs* closing re- 
mark, I wish to say that I firmly believe it to be our 
duty 'to look these minor differences squarely in the 
face, and, if possible, remove them.' However, as it 

114 



POINTS OF AGREEMENT 



is now ten o'clock I think it better we defer that 
matter to another evening, either to-morrow eve- 
ning or to some evening next week, as you may think 
best." 

Mr. Sims: *'Mr. Chairman, I am in favor of con- 
tinuing these meetings each evening, and from week 
to week, if necessary, in order to bring about the 
desired results. I therefore move you that we meet 
again to-morrow evening, and, if necessary, the eve- 
ning following." 

The motion, duly seconded, was submitted to the 
audience and carried. 

Chairman: "You are all aware, brethren, that we 
are engaged in a work that is new to us all. Never 
before, perhaps, have any of us taken part in the 
work of trying to reconcile the differences between 
churches, and bring about a state of union ; and I, for 
one, feel the need of help. As chairman of the meet- 
ing, I perhaps feel a greater weight of responsibility 
than I would otherwise, and I crave your counsel and 
your prayers. 

"To-morrow morning, at nine o'clock, a few of the 
brethren v/ill meet at the home of Bro. Sims for the 
purpose of outlining a course of procedure for to-mor- 
row evening's meeting, and I shall be pleased to have 
any of you meet with us who feel that you could offer 
any suggestion that would help us in our work. I 
especially invite the pastors to meet with us. 

"Now, unless some one desires to speak a word or 
ask a question, we are ready for the adjournment 
until to-morrow evening." 

115 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

After waiting a few moments, Bro. Powell, pastor 
of the Brethren Church, was asked to pronounce the 
benediction. 

After the audience had been dismissed, Messrs. 
Middleton -and Combs were the recipients of many 
hearty congratulations because of their magnificent 
addresses. Even Mr. Potter admitted that he thought 
them both very good indeed. 



116 



CHAPTER XL 
FEELING THE SENTIMENT OF THE AUDIENCE 

AT the appointed hour on Thursday evening an even 
larger audience than on the preceding evening 
assembled at the amphitheater. Bro. Birch had been 
notified by phone that the meeting would be continued, 
and he, too, was there. 

The opening service was led by Bro. Logan, pastor 
of the Presbyterian Church. After singing the old 
song beginning 

''My faith looks up to Thee, 
Thou Lamb of Calvary," 

he read the Lord's Prayer, as recorded in the seven- 
teenth chapter of John. After which Bro. Clark was 
asked to lead the congregation in prayer, which he did 
in a most effective manner. 

When the devotional service had ended, the chair- 
man stepped to the front, and said: ''Br-ethren, accord- 
ing to the program as arranged at the forenoon meet- 
ing, the first question to be settled this evening is 
whether or not the people desire a union of churches. 
It would certainly be folly for us to try to bring about 
a state of union between the several churches of our 
town if the people who compose those churches do not 
desire it. If, after investigation, it is found that all, 

117 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

or even a majority, of the people are satisfied with 
present conditions, I suppose that further efforts at 
union would be useless. Under those conditions we 
had as well pronounce the benediction and return to 
our homes. My candid opinion is, however, there are 
a great many persons here who are not satisfied with 
present conditions, and who desire something better. 
Just how many there are, of course, we do not know, 
nor can we know until we in some way put the matter 
to a test. However, before attempting to find out how 
the audience as a whole stands upon the subject of 
union, it was the sense of the program committee that 
some time be given for an exchange of ideas as to the 
desirability or non-desirability of union ; so, for half 
an hour, or longer, if necessary, the meeting will be 
open to any and all who desire to express thjir ideas 
as to the desirability or non-desirability of organic 
union. ' ' 

The first to respond to this invitation was Bro. 
Mason, who spoke as follows: 

''I want to say, Mr. Chairman, and I had just as 
well say it first as last, that I am unalterably opposed 
to union, as contemplated in this meeting. I oppose it 
for two reasons: First, because Christ, while He was 
here on earth, spake a parable concerning the vine and 
its branches, which, to my mind, is proof conclusive 
that He foresaw the present condition of His church. 
In that parable Christ saw His church as composed of 
one central stem, or organization, with numerous others 
appended thereto as branches — a correct picture of the 
church as it exists in the world to-day. For, if you 

118 



FEELING THE SENTIMENT OF THE AUDIENCE 

will allow it, there is, and ever has been, one grand 
central organization of the church of Christ, and I 
have the honor of belonging to that organization. It 
is the Baptist Church, the only one in existence whose 
history can be traced in unbroken succession back to 
the apostles; and I think we have no right to sever 
from the main vine any of the branches that have 
sprung therefrom, for Christ says : ' The Father, who is 
the husbandman, has reserved unto himself the right 
to sever from the vine all fruitless branches.' 

''In the second place, I oppose this union because 
of the deteriorating effect it would have upon the 
church as an organization. If it were possible, and all 
churches were united into one organization, it wouldn't 
be a half-century until it became as corrupt as the 
church was during the reign of Catholicism; and the 
great mystery to me is why men with the history of 
that corruption before their eyes should be courting 
a repetition of it by bringing the church back into 
the same condition it was then. Are you not aware, 
brethren, that the rivalry which exists between the 
several churches tends to keep them pure? Destroy 
that rivalry by uniting all the churches into one, and 
there is no power on earth that can prevent that church 
becoming corrupt.*' 

"Mr. Chairman, with Bro. Mason's consent, I de- 
sire to ask him a question," said Mr. Middleton. 

"You have my consent, if your question is a civil 
one," Bro. Mason replied. 

"I assure you, Bro. Mason, I have no disposition 
upon an occasion like this to ask any other kind, and 

119 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

sincerely trust that no one during this discussion will 
feel himself licensed to do so. I am aware of the 
fact that occasions like this furnish persons, inclined 
that way, an excellent opportunity for repartee, but I 
trust that no one during this meeting, or meetings, as 
the case may be, will avail himself of the opportunity 
which the occasion affords for indulging in that kind 
of argument, for repartee isn't logic, and what we 
want in these discussions is not wit, but logic and 
sound reasoning." 

''Amen," exclaimed a voice from the center of the 
audience, and Mr. Middleton, recognizing it as coming 
from Bro. Clark, said: ''God bless these Methodist 
folks ! They have a way of letting people know when 
anything suits them, and I hope they will bring that 
custom with them into the united church, and inoculate 
the whole body. 

"Now, Bro. Mason, you have pointed out to us 
two reasons why you oppose the union we are seeking 
to bring about. May I ask if these are the only rea- 
sons which you have for opposing it?" 

"Well, I think of no others just now; but these I 
consider quite sufficient to justify me opposing it." 

"If these, then, are your only reasons for opposing 
the union, suppose that, in some way, you should be- 
come convinced that your reasons were not valid, would 
you still oppose it?" 

"How could I, and be an honest man? I want 
you to understand, Bro. Middleton, that I claim to be 
an honest man, and that it is because of conscientious 
convictions that I oppose this union; but if you, or 

120 



FEELING THE SENTIMENT OF THE AUDIENCE 

any one else, were to convince me that tlie reasons I 
have offered are not valid ones, and that denemina- 
tionalism is wrong and organic union right, I would 
certainly espouse the cause of union and both labor 
and pray for it." 

''1 would not have you infer from anything I have 
said, Bro. Mason, that I consider you otherwise than 
honest. However, I appreciate the candid statement 
which my question has called forth from your lips, and 
rejoice to know that you are open to conviction. Per- 
mit me, then, to say, in the spirit of Christian courtesy, 
that, in my estimation, you have misconstrued the 
meaning of Christ's parable of the vine and its 
branches. You say that when Christ spake that para- 
ble. He foresaw the present condition of the church; 
that it should be composed of one main stem or vine, 
with numerous others appended as branches, and that 
the main vine represents the Baptist Church, while 
the branches represent the different denominations; 
but remember, Bro. Mason, Christ nowhere says that 
the vine represents the Baptist Church or that its 
branches represent the different denominations. That 
is simply your application of the parable. Christ says: 
'I am the vine, and ye are the branches.' Instead, 
then, of Christ attempting to portray some future state 
of the church. He was describing to His disciples the 
relationship which they sustained to Him even then, 
for He says: 'Ye are the branches.' Whatever Christ 
meant to be the branches were the branches even then, 
and, as there were no denominations in existence at 
that time, it seems to me, Bro. Mason, that sound 

121 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

reasoning will force us to the conclusion that the 
branches were individual Christians, and not denomi- 
nations. ' ' 

''I am confident, brethren, that Bro. Middleton's 
interpretation of that passage is correct," said Mr. 
Clark, as he arose from his seat. ** Until recently I, 
too, was inclined to look upon that passage as justify- 
ing denominationalism, but I no longer so regard it. 
I have also abandoned the idea that denominationalism 
is necessary in order to preserve the purity of the 
church. Bro. Mason says: 'Destroy the rivalry which 
now exists between the churches, and there is no power 
on earth that can prevent it becoming corrupt.' With 
due deference to your opinion, Bro. Mason, I feel in- 
pelled to say that you are mistaken. There is a power 
on earth that is adequate to preserve the purity of the 
church and make it the grandest institution ever in- 
augurated for the benefit of humanity, and that power 
is found in the Christ spirit of brotherly love so 
clearly visible in the early church. Let the Christ 
spirit of brotherly love supplant the spirit of rivalry 
that now pervades the church, and the same success 
that attended the preaching of the gospel during the 
first three centuries will attend it now." 

''I am glad, indeed, Mr. Chairman, to hear Bro. 
Clark utter these words," said Bro. Birch, ''for I feeJ 
that they are as true as the gospel itself. The purity 
of the church in heaven will be preserved without 
rivalry, and I see no reason why its purity may not 
be preserved without it down here. As Bro. Clark 
says, 'let the Christ spirit of brotherly love supplant 

122 



FEELING THE SENTIMENT OF THE AUDIENCE 

the spirit of rivalry that now pervades the church,' 
and not only its purity, but its aggressiveness also, will 
be assured.*' 

After waiting a few moments to see whether any 
one else desired to speak, Mr. Lane, the chairman, arose 
and said: **I believe you are right, Bro. Birch; the 
aggressiveness of the church depends upon the love 
which its individual members possess for each other 
and for the world at large. We are willing to work, 
and even sacrifice, for those we love, and I, for one, 
long to see the spirit of denominational rivalry, upon 
which the church is now depending for aggressive 
work, supplanted by the Christ spirit of brotherly love; 
then, and not until then, will the church accomplish 
her greatest work. And now, unless some one else 
desires to speak, we are ready to ascertain the senti- 
ment of the audience with respect to union/' 



123 



CHAPTER XII. 
THE NAME 

AT this juncture Mr. Sims arose and said: ''Mr. 
Chairman, in anticipation of such a time as this, 
I have prepared a resolution, which I ask the privilege 
of submitting to the audience for their approval or 
disapproval, as they may elect." 

Chairman: ''You may read your resolution, Bro. 
Sims." 

Mr. Sims: "Whereas, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ, in order to the accomplishment of His media- 
torial work between God and rebellious man, saw fit 
to establish a church ; and 

"Whereas, During and since the Dark Ages, that 
church has become divided up into rival sects, occasion- 
ing a great deal of bitterness, envy and strife among 
the people of God, as well as a waste of energy and 
means that should be spent in evangelizing the world ; 
therefore be it 

^'Resolved, That we, the followers of Christ in the 
town of Alpha, shall make an honest effort to remove 
the barriers that hitherto have separated us, and, if 
possible, unite in one local congregation." 

Chairman : ' ' You have heard the resolution offered 
by Bro. Sims, brethren; what will you do with it?" 

124 



THE NAME 



Bro. Clark: "I move its adoption/' 

Mr. Wade: ''I second the motion/' 

Chairman: "Brethren, a motion has been made and 
seconded that the resolution be adopted. Are you 
ready for the question?" 

Bro. Mason: "Permit me to say, Mr. Chairman, 
before the vote is taken, that I am opposed to the 
resolution. This whole business is nothing but child's 
play. The resolution speaks of removing the barriers 
that separate us, but those barriers are immovable. 
You had as well try to move Gibraltar." 

Mr. Drew: "There is an old saying, Bro. Mason, 
that where there's a will there's a way, and the truth- 
fulness of that saying is becoming more apparent to 
us as the years come and go. Barriers that seemed 
impossible a few years ago are no longer so regarded. 
Since the tunneling of the Alps, the discovery of the 
North Pole and the mammoth achievement of cutting 
the American continent in two by means of the Panama 
Canal, it is improper to speak even of Gibraltar as 
being immovable, and more improper to speak of the 
barriers that now separate the people of God as being 
immovable. What men have builded men can tear 
down, if they so desire, and I, for one, am heartily 
in favor of tearing down these denominational walls, 
at least so far as our own town is concerned." 

Mr. Sullivan: "I am fully convinced. Mr. Chair- 
man, that denominationalism is an evil, and should be 
abolished; I am also convinced that it can not be 
abolished without an effort. Therefore I am heartily 
in favor of the resolution, which provides that an 

125 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

honest effort be made to remove the barriers that now 
separate us." 

As soon as Mr. Sullivan had finished, a half-dozen 
voices were heard calling for the question. 

Chairman : " As many as favor the adoption of the 
resolution as read will please make it known by rising 
to your feet. As many as oppose it will then make it 
known in the same way." 

More than three-fourths of the audience voted in 
favor of the resolution. 

Chairman: ''Brethren, by an overwhelming major- 
ity you have voted to at least make an effort to remove 
the barriers that stand in the way of organic Chris- 
tian union, and not only to make an effort, but an 
honest effort, and that means we are not to quit the 
field at the first rumble of the enemies' guns, but that 
we will the rather go our whole length into the fray, 
even though to do so may necessitate us giving up 
some things that hitherto have seemed very dear to 
us. As our Bro. Sullivan remarked a few moments 
ago, 'we can not hope to succeed in this undertaking 
without an effort,' and I would add, neither do we 
hope to succeed without making some sacrifice ; but I 
am persuaded, brethren, that the sacrifices we shall be 
called upon to make will only involve things of minor 
importance, when compared with t]xe end to be at- 
tained. I venture the assertion that not a single sacri- 
fice will be made but will yield the person making it 
a rich reward in the consciousness of having done his 
duty. And now, brethren, the time for heroic action 
has come. We are to consider the difficulties that lie 

126 



THE NAME 



before us, and, if possible, remove them. What is the 
pleasure of the assembly with reference to the method 
of procedure?" 

Mr. Roberts (Presbyterian) : ''Mr. Chairman, as a 
carpenter, I have had considerable experience in the 
building of houses. I remember upon one occasion 
building a magnificent dwelling, using in its construc- 
tion mainly the material contained in several smaller 
buildings. Our method of procedure upon that occa- 
sion was to first tear down the smaller buildings (dis- 
organize them), and then out of the mass of disorgan- 
ized material we constructed a building, according to 
the plans furnished us by the architect, that was a 
credit to the town and an object of admiration to all 
who beheld it. Practically the same conditions con- 
front us, and I would suggest that we begin by dis- 
organizing the several small churches of our town, and 
out of the material then at our disposal — in harmony 
wtih the divine plan of church construction, as con- 
tained in the New Testament Scriptures and submitted 
to us by the chief Architect Himself — let us go to 
work and build up a church that will be a credit to 
the town, an honor to Christ and an object of beauty 
to all who may behold it." 

Bro. Mason : ' ' Permit me to say, Bro. Roberts, that, 
in my estimation, a great deal of your material would 
have to be remodeled before it could be worked into 
a strictly New .Testament church." 

''That may be true, Bro. Mason, but, so far as I 
am individually concerned, I am willing to submit to 
any remodeling process necessary to enable me to fit 

e 127 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

into the New Testament organization. Are yon willing 
to do the same?" 

''I claim to belong to a New Testament organiza- 
tion already, and, consequently, no remodeling is 
at all necessary to enable me to fit into such an 
one. ' ' 

*'But suppose, when the plans and specifications of 
the New Testament church are spread out before you, 
you should find that you were mistaken about your 
being in perfect accord therewith, would you then be 
willing to undergo such changes as would be necessary 
to bring you into harmony with it or no?" 

"I suppose under such circumstances I would, 
but—" 

' ' Just leave off the ' but ' ; all we care to know is 
that you recognize the authority of the New Testa- 
ment plan of church organization, and are willing to 
conform thereto." 

Bro. Logan: ''Mr. Chairman, I think Bro. Koberts' 
suggestion to disorganize our several local congrega- 
tions in order that we may use the material contained 
in them to build up the one organization we have in 
mind a good one, but it seems to me we are not yet 
quite ready to begin the new organization, nor to tear 
down the old ones. I presume that before Bro. Roberts 
even began to tear down those smaller buildings plans 
and specifications for the new one had been considered 
and approved by the parties interested. So, before 
we tear down the old, I would suggest that the plans 
and specifications of the new organization be fully 
discussed and approved." 

128 



THE NAME 



Bro. Birch: **I heartily approve Bro. Logan's sug- 
gestion. Before disorganizing the old churches, let 
us have a clear understanding as to just what the new 
one is to be in name, doctrine and practice; and, in 
order to get the matter before us in definite form, I 
move you, Mr. Chairman, that we proceed to discuss 
the subject under these several heads, with the under- 
standing that the new organization shall conform in 
name, doctrine and practice to the apostolic church, as 
that church has been portrayed to us in the New Tes- 
tament Scriptures." 

The motion, duly seconded, was submitted to the 
congregation, and carried enthusiastically and by a 
very large majority. 

Chairman: ''Now, brethren, in harmony with the 
motion just adopted, the first question we are to con- 
sider with reference to our union is that of name. 
What is the pleasure of the audience with reference 
to this important question?" 

Mr. Middleton: ''Permit me, Mr. Chairman, to say 
a few words right here. You speak of the question 
before us as an important one, and indeed it is. As 
I see it, there are but few things, if any, that stand 
more in the way of the union of God's people than 
these separate names which they are wearing, and I 
sincerely trust we will approach the subject with a 
due sense of its importance, and leavfe nothing undone 
that is necessary to enable us to settle it aright. For, 
with this question properly settled, one of the greatest 
barriers that stand in the way of our union will then 
have been removed." 

129 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Mr. Sims: **Mr. Chairman, while I agree with Bro. 
Middleton as to the importance of the question now 
before us, yet it does seem to me that, of all the 
questions likely to come before us for settlement, this 
one of name should be the least difficult, whether it be 
as to the name we should wear as individuals or as a 
church. As individuals, what name could be more 
appropriate than the name 'Christian'? As a church, 
what more appropriate than the name 'Church of 
Christ'? I therefore move you, Mr. Chairman, that, in 
the event we decide to have only one church in the town, 
it be known to the world as the 'Church of Christ' at 
Alpha, and its individual members as 'Christians.' " 

Mr. Watson: "I rise, Mr. Chairman, to offer a 
second to the motion." 

Chairman : ' ' You have heard the motion, brethren ; 
are you ready for the question?" 

Bro. Mason: "As pastor of the Baptist Church, I' 
feel it my duty to speak a word of warning to my 
brethren. As a church, we are known to the world as 
'Baptists,' and, as Baptists, we sustain a peculiar rela- 
tionship to the great Baptist brotherhood of the world. 
What belongs to that brotherhood belongs in part to 
us. We have an interest in the varied institutions of 
that brotherhood, both in the home and in the foreign 
field. The orphanages, hospitals, churches, schools and 
colleges are ours by virtue of our being Baptists. 
Cease to be Baptists and we lose all interest in these 
institutions. 

"Besides, as a Baptist church, we are a part of 
the 'Oak G-rove Association,' but that relationship will 

130 



THE NAME 



be severed whenever we cease to be a Baptist cburch. 
With these results staring us in the face, certainly no 
Baptist will vote for the motion now before the house. 

**As I see it, the question of name is not one of 
very great importance, anyway; and, seeing the incon- 
venience and loss that would accrue to us by abandon- 
ing our church name, it seems to me that, in deference 
to us, you people should all agree to accept the name 
'Baptist.' " 

Bro. Clark: ''The last speaker, Mr. Chairman, needs 
to be reminded that the very terms of agreement 
already adopted by this body forever preclude any 
possibility of us adopting the name 'Baptist.' Accord- 
ing to agreement, the united church is to conform to 
the apostolic church in name, doctrine and practice, as 
that church has been portrayed to us in the New 
Testament; and, unless Bro. Mason can furnish some 
New Testament authority for the name he suggests, 
he had as well abandon his hopes." 

Bro. Mason: "I could as easily find New Testa- 
ment authority for the name 'Baptist' as you could 
for the name 'Methodist Episcopal.' " 

Bro. Clark: "I am fully aware of that fact, Bro. 
Mason, and for that reason I have never entertained 
any hope of our united church being a Methodist Epis- 
copal. If we are to conform strictly to the New 
Testament in the matter of selecting a name for the 
church, I am persuaded all of us will have to give up 
our pet names ; even our brethren who claim to be 
'Christians only' will have to make some concessions, 
for I think they, too, will fail when they go to search- 

131 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

ing the New Testament for authority for the name 
'Christian Church/ '' 

Bro. Birch: '*We will gladly yield that name, Bro. 
Clark, for one that more fully accords with the New 
Testament Scriptures. ' ' 

Bro. Powell: *'I see, brethren, that it will be 
useless for me to try to effect a compromise by offer- 
ing you our church name; for, while the name 'Breth- 
ren' is frequently applied to the followers of Christ 
in the New Testament, yet I fail to call to mind a 
single passage where the term 'Brethren Church' is 
used therein; and since in name our new organization 
is to conform to the teaching of the New Testament, 
it will be necessary for us to change our church name 
if we are to enter into this union. I think, however, 
if other matters can be satisfactorily adjusted, my 
brethren will willingly concede to the change." 

Bro. Logan : ' ' Our church is known as the Presby- 
terian Church. We have that name chiseled on the 
front of our church building. We have no Scripture 
for it, but I have read the New Testament from be- 
ginning to end and I have never yet come across the 
name 'Church of Christ,' and, if we are to adopt that 
name, we would still have one without Scripture au- 
thority." 

Mr. Middleton: "Technically, Bro. Logan is right, 
Mr. Chairman, but logically he is wrong. While the 
term 'Church of Christ' (singular form) is not found 
in the New Testament, yet the logical conclusion we 
would reach in reading it is that there is a certain 
institution described therein which the apostles recog- 

132 



THE NAME 



nized as the 'Clmrch of Christ.' For instance, in 
Matthew 16, shortly before the close of His public 
ministry, we hear Christ saying: 'Upon this rock I will 
build my church.' From this it is evident that Christ 
purposed building a church, and that church when 
built would be His church. Was that church ever 
built? It certainly was, for over in the fifth chapter 
of Acts, Luke, after describing a certain event that 
had transpired, said that 'great fear came upon all 
the church. ' What church ? Evidently the church that 
Christ said He was going to build, and which was 
built — formally established in the city of Jerusalem — 
and concerning which Luke says: 'The Lord added to 
the church daily such as should be saved.' Thus we 
find there was a church established in the city of 
Jerusalem, and that Christ recognized it as His church. 
"But the church of Christ was not to be confined 
to Jerusalem; its mission was to be world-wide. It 
was not only to be a savor of life unto the Jews, but 
to the Gentiles as well. Hence, in the process of time, 
we find the disciples and apostles leaving Jerusalem, 
going out in every direction preaching the gospel, and 
multitudes, both of Jews and Gentiles, became obedient 
unto the faith. The gospel, however, required that 
these new converts should meet together at stated times 
for spiritual edification. It would not be possible for 
them to come up to Jerusalem every week; hence we 
find the apostles establishing churches in many of the 
towns and communities surrounding. It is worthy to 
be noted, however, that these were not different de- 
nominations, wearing different names and teaching 

133 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

different doctrines. They were simply local churches 
established at these different places for the convenience 
of the people in the matter of worship. In doctrine 
and practice they were all alike, and all wore a com- 
mon name — 'churches of Christ' or 'of God.' These 
two names are equivalent, and were used interchange- 
ably by the apostles, for the reason that, in the work 
of reconciliation, the apostles recognized God and 
Christ as one. Hence we read that 'God was in Christ, 
reconciling the world unto himself,' and the church, 
being a necessary agency in accomplishing this work, 
was considered by the apostles the common property of 
both, and sometimes referred to local congregations as 
churches of God and sometimes as churches of Christ. 
In 2 Cor. 1 : 1, Paul refers to that particular local con- 
gregation as 'the church of God at Corinth,' but in 
Kom. 16 : 16 the same apostle groups all these local 
congregations, and refers to them as 'churches of 
Christ.' 

"I maintain, then, Bro. Logan, that we would be 
logically within the bounds of New Testament teach- 
ing to call our church either the 'Church of Christ' or 
the ' Church of God, ' qualified, of course, by having the 
name of the town attached, as suggested by Bro. Sims 
in the motion. It would certainly be the height of 
bigotry for us to call ours either the 'Church of 
Christ' or 'Church of God' in an unqualified sense; 
for either term, when used in that sense, includes aU 
who through faith in Christ and obedience to His 
gospel are trusting Him for life and salvation, and 
certainly we can never hope to have all of God's 

134 



THE NAME 



people who inhabit the earth to be enrolled as mem- 
bers of our one local congregation. But to call it the 
'Church of Christ at Alpha' will be honoring Christ, 
and, at the same time, recognizing the fact that God 
has a people other than those who compose that one 
local congregation/' 

As soon as Mr. Middleton had taken his seat, 
several voices were heard calling for the question, and 
when the vote was taken, it was found that a very 
large majority had voted in favor of the motion. 

Chairman: ''Brethren, by your vote you have de- 
cided, in case we succeed in effecting a union between 
the several churches of our town, that the united 
church shall be known to the world as 'The Church of 
Christ at Alpha,' and its individual members as 
'Christians.' I would now suggest, because of the late- 
ness of the hour, that we adjourn to meet again to- 
morrow evening, according to the motion adopted at 
our last meeting." 

A motion to that effect was offered and carried, 
after which Bro. Birch pronounced the benediction. 



135 



CHAPTER XIIL 
DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

AT the appointed hour on Friday evening an eager 
throng had assembled at the amphitheater. It 
was generally understood that the subject of "Doc- 
trinal Differences" was to be discussed at this meet- 
ing, and both excitement and curiosity were strongly 
in evidence. Some had expressed the opinion that this 
meeting would be the "Waterloo" where the unionists 
would go down to defeat. Others were more opti- 
mistic, and argued that the union sentiment was strong 
enough to enable them to amicably settle all their 
differences. 

After the usual preliminaries, the chairman an- 
nounced that at a conference held at the home of 
Bro. Sims in the forenoon, several of the brethren 
being present, a program was arranged for the eve- 
ning meeting, and that, according to the program, 
Bro. Birch would now deliver a brief address. 

Bro. Birch spoke, in part, as follows: "Brethren 
and sisters, through the mercy of an all-wise God, we 
have been spared to this hour, and are now to be 
accorded the exalted privilege of participating in a 
service than which, perhaps, a more important one 
has never been held within the limits of our town. 

136 



DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

Inportant because of its bearing upon the peace, happi- 
ness and welfare of the people of God. 

''We are entering upon this service as Christians, 
persons who love God and the Christ whom He hath 
ordained to be the Saviour of men ; yet it can not be 
denied that there is a lack of fellowship among us, 
occasioned by the party spirit which has crept into 
the church and divided it up into rival sects. 

''To remove the cause of these divisions, and re- 
store to the church the fellowship of the apostolic age, 
is the object of our meeting this evening; and right 
here let me say, brethren, that the barriers which 
separate us are less real than many of us imagine 
them to be. The idea has become instilled into the 
minds of a great many that the barriers which separate 
us are made up entirely of doctrinal differences, so 
fundamental in their nature that a person of one com- 
munion couldn't fellowship those of another without 
committing sin. 

"As opposed to this idea, let me say — and I feel 
I have the word of God to back me in the statement — 
that there is one, and only one, doctrinal truth taught 
in the New Testament clothed with authority to admit 
or deny anyone to the fellowship of the church of 
Jesus Christ, and that is the doctrinal truth taught 
therein concerning His divinity. "Whoever accepts 
that truth, with all that its acceptance implies, has a 
God-given right to the love, confidence and fellowship 
of every other individual who has accepted it, and 
no man nor set of men have any right to interpose a 
set of rules that would deprive him of that right. 

137 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''This I hold to be the great fundamental doctrine 
of the Christian religion. It is the foundation upon 
which the whole superstructure rests. 'Upon this rock 
I will build my church,' declared Christ, 'and the 
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.' Upon 
that rock it was built, and there it has ever stood, 
unshaken by the assaults of wicked and designing men. 
Infidelity has been trying for ages to tear the church 
down ; but infidels themselves pass away, while the 
church still remains, and why? Simply because they 
have never been able to disprove, to the satisfaction 
of the human mind, the fact that Jesus of Nazareth 
was the divine Son of God. Should infidelity succeed 
in disproving that fact, the church would crumble into 
nothingness ; but as long as that truth remains intact in 
the human mind the church will stand, and all the 
powers of earth and hell combined can not prevent it. 

"Friend, do you believe with all your heart that 
Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God and Saviour of 
men? If yes, then I declare unto you, upon the au- 
thority of the written word of God, that you have the 
exalted privilege of becoming a child of God and heir 
of eternal life, for it is written : ' As many as received 
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of 
God, even to as many as believed on his name.' Can 
you not see, my friends, where God has placed the 
test of .fellowship in His church? It is right here in 
vital connection with this fundamental truth concern- 
ing the divinity of Christ. Believe it,, and you are 
eligible to citizenship in His kingdom; disbelieve it, 
and you are not. 

138 



DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

''The apostles and early Christians all understood 
the relationship of this truth to the kingdom of Christ, 
and demanded of every one a confession of their faith 
in the Son of God as a prerequisite to baptism and 
fellowship in the church. 'See, here is water; what 
doth hinder me to be baptized?' said the eunuch, after 
Philip had preached unto him Christ, and Philip said: 
'If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.' 
'And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ 
is the Son of God,' and upon that confession Philip 
baptized him. 

"Friends, we are here to-night, many of us sick and 
tired of denominationalism, with its consequent bitter- 
ness, enmity and strife ; we would gladly see it driven 
from our midst, never again to breathe its poisonous 
breath within the limits of our beloved city nor in the 
community surrounding. Many of you have been pray- 
ing long and earnestly for the end of sectarian war- 
fare and for the unity, peace and perfect fellowship 
of the people of God. But do you know, friends, that 
the fellowship for which you have been praying is 
even now within your grasp, that you have but to 
'reach forth to it and it is yours'? You have been 
praying God to remove the mountains of difficulties 
which stand in the way of union, when, in reality, 
there are no mountains to be removed. I declare unto 
you my conviction, brethren, that there is but one 
single proposition to which, if the people will but 
subscribe, union will follow as a logical and inevitable 
result, .and that proposition is the fact that 'Jesus is 
the Christ, the Son of the living God,' 

139 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

"But you say: 'We have subscribed to that fact 
already. We all believe that Jesus Christ is the Son 
of God.' 

*'I grant it, my friends, that, in a certain way, 
we do all believe it; but I call your attention to the 
fact that, in a certain way, a great many persons 
believe it who are living in the world, making no pre- 
tensions to being Christians ; I also call your attention 
to the fact that, in a certain way, even devils believe 
it. But the way the devils believe it and the way the 
people of the world believe it is not the way God 
expects the Christian to believe it. Philip said to the 
eunuch : ' If thou believest witJi all tJiine heart, thou 
mayest' (be baptized). The Christian is expected to 
believe that fact with all his heart. In order that we 
better understand the difference between merely believ- 
ing this fact and believing it with all one's heart, it 
is necessary that we define the term 'heart,' and see 
what is contained therein. 

' ' Greenfield says : ' The heart is the mind. ' Whether 
that definition be true other than in a Bible sense, I 
shall not attempt to argue; but that the Bible heart 
and mind are so closely related as to render them 
incapable of absolute separation is a fact I affirm and 
stand ready to prove with unanswerable evidence. In 
fact, the two words are used in the Bible interchange- 
ably. For instance, near the close of his reign, David 
said, addressing himself to Solomon, who was to suc- 
ceed him as king over the tribes of Israel, 'My son, 
as for me, it was in my mind to build a house unto 
the name of the Lord my God;' but at the time of 

140 



DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

dedicating the temple, Solomon, referring to the matter, 
said: 'It was in the heart of my father David to 
build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel." 
Thus we find that what David said was in his mind, 
Solomon said was in his heart. If this doesn't prove 
the Bible heart and mind to be one and the same 
thing, it certainly proves them to be very closely re- 
lated. And the closeness of their relationship becomes 
even more apparent in the light of other passages of 
Scripture ; for instance, this : ' Lest they should see 
with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and under- 
stand with their hearts, and should turn, and I should 
heal them.' Here the faculty of understanding or 
reason is ascribed to the heart. Again, 'The end of 
the commandment is love out of a pure heart' (1 Tim. 
1:5). 'So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of 
Israel' (2 Sam. 15:6). From these we learn that 
love and affection are faculties of the Bible heart. 
'Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile 
himself with the portion of the king's meat' (Dan. 
1:8). Here we learn that purpose or will is a faculty 
of the Bible heart. 

"Since, then, the term 'heart,' as used in the Bible, 
embraces the understanding, reason, love, affection, 
purpose and will of man, you can readily see that to 
believe on Christ with all the heart means infinitely 
more than a mere assent of the mind to the fact that 
He is the Son of God. To merely assent to this fact, 
as do the devils and people of the world, who are 
living in rebellion against God, is to use only a part 
of what the Bible describes as the heart; viz., that 

141 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

part which has to do with the understanding and rea- 
son. The Christian, however, is expected to believe 
this fact with all his heart, not only with that part 
of the heart which has to do with the understanding 
and reason, but with those parts which have to do with 
his love and affection, his purpose and will. 

''My friends, can you not see at a glance what 
mighty revolutionary power is contained in the con- 
fession which God requires every sinner to make as a 
prerequisite to baptism and membership in His church? 
Is there one here to-night ever guilty of declaring that 
confession insufficient? If so, I pray you consider well 
what such a confession means, and never again be 
guilty of making such a charge. 

''When a person makes that confession as God 
intended it to be made, he practically says to the 
world : ' I have examined the testimony God has given 
concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and, in the light of that 
testimony, I receive Him as the divine Son of God 
and Saviour of men, the divinely appointed lawgiver 
of the Christian dispensation, and I here and now, 
in the presence of God and men, surrender unto Him 
all that I have and am, including the love and affec- 
tion of my heart, and henceforth my aim and purpose 
in life shall be to honor, serve and obey Him in 
accordance with His divine will.' 

"My friends, can anything that mortal man may 
devise as a prerequisite to baptism, and through bap- 
tism to fellowship in the church, be more revolutionary 
in its effect upon the life and character of an indi- 
vidual than the confession of this fundamental truth 

142 



DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

of the Christian religion when that confession is made 
from the depths of an honest and sincere heart? 

''Or could any confession of faith or articles of 
agreement that mortal man might devise be more effec- 
tive as a bond of union between the people of God 
than the whole-hearted acceptance by each individual 
of this fundamental truth? It is not only sufficient 
as a bond of union between individual Christians, but 
it is sufficient also as a bond of union between the 
several churches. Were I asked to formulate a state- 
ment or to draw up articles of agreement to be sub- 
mitted to the members of these several churches for 
their acceptance in order to bring about that state 
of union we have in mind, that statement would consist 
of but one single proposition; viz., that 'Jesus is the 
Christ, the Son of the living God,' and, in the language 
of Philip to the eunuch, I would say to every church 
seeking fellowship in that union: 'If thou believest 
with all thine heart, thou mayest. ' 

"Brethren, I commend unto you this fundamental 
truth of the Christian religion as the basis of our 
union, and declare unto you my conviction that it is 
the only basis upon which such a union can be success- 
fully consummated." 

For several moments the audience sat rapt and in 
profound silence. Even the chairman, with bowed 
head, seemed apparently oblivious to his surroundings. 
The reverent, thoughtful atmosphere held all in silence, 
until a voice from the audience began to sing, 

"All hail the power of Jesus' name, 
Let angels prostrate fall,'' 

10 143 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

and the whole audience caught aip the strain and con- 
tinued : 

' ' Bring forth the royal diadem, 
And crown Him Lord of all. 

' ' Let every kindred, every tribe. 
On this terrestrial ball, 
To Him all majesty ascribe. 
And crown Him Lord of all. ' ' 

"When the singing had ceased, the chairman arose 
and said: ''Brethren, I know not what thoughts have 
come into your mind since our brother ended his re- 
marks, but, as for me, I have had a vision, and in 
that vision I saw a magnificent structure standing in 
the midst of our town. It was the church home of 
our people. In workmanship, material and architec- 
ture it excelled every other structure, for the people 
had said, 'It is the Lord's house, and must be second 
to none.' I saw in my vision the people coming up 
to worship ; from every quarter of our town, and from 
the country surrounding, they came, a great concourse 
of people, all animated by the same spirit, all breath- 
ing the same prayer, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me 
to do?' It was a real soul feast I was enjoying as 
I sat here with bowed head, until the song we just 
sang broke into my reverie, and I awoke to find myself 
indeed in the presence of a great audience, but assem- 
bled in open air, because we haven't a church-house 
in town large enough to accommodate the audience. 
But I am persuaded, brethren, that these conditions 
are not to continue long; indeed, since listening to 
Bro, Birch's address, I see no reason why the union 
we have in mind may not be consummated at once. 

144 



DISCOVERING THE FOUNDATION 

Certainly no one can object to the basis; still, it may 
be possible that some are unable to see bow the whole- 
hearted acceptance of this single proposition will 
enable us to dwell together in unity; if so, according 
to the program previously arranged, the meeting will 
now be thrown open for a full and free discussion of 
the subject." 



145 



CHAPTER XIV. 
REMOVING THE BARRIERS 

BRO. LOGA.N: ''Mr. Chairman, I am free to admit 
that, since listening to Bro. Birch, my vision of 
the scope and meaning of the good confession has 
been greatly enlarged; yet I am unable to see how 
the acceptance of that proposition is going to remove 
all the barriers which stand in the way of our union. 
For instance, the barrier growing out of our several 
modes of baptism ; viz., immersion, trine immersion, 
sprinkling and pouring. I would be pleased, Mr. 
Chairman, to have Bro. Birch explain to the audience 
how even a whole-hearted acceptance of that proposi- 
tion is going to remove that barrier.*' 

**I assure you, brethren, it is not my pleasure to 
monopolize all the time during this evening service, 
but since Bro. Logan has called on me, I feel impelled 
to respond. 

"The question before us is: *How will the whole- 
hearted acceptance of the truth that "Jesus is the 
Christ, the Son of the living God,'* remove the bar- 
rier growing out of the several modes of baptism?' 
I answer, my friends, that the whole-hearted accept- 
ance of that truth will compel every one of us to 
look to Christ and His chosen agents (the apostles) 

146 



REMOVING THE BARRIERS 



for all our authority upon the subject of baptism, 
as well as upon every other subject pertaining to the 
Christian religion. It will compel us to heed the 
admonition that God gave upon the mount of trans- 
figuration, when He said: 'This is my beloved Son, 
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Mm.' In short, 
the whole-hearted acceptance of this truth will compel 
us to draw a line between the inspired word of God 
and the uninspired writin^^s of men, and will cause 
us to cleave to the one as being of all authority unto 
us, and to reject the other as being of no authority 
whatever. And think you, my friends, that the recog- 
nition of the word of God as our sole authority upon 
this subject will not enable us to settle it? I tell 
you, it will. 

"Whence came all this babble and confusion over 
the subject of Christian baptism? From the teach- 
ing and practice of Christ and His apostles, or from 
the teaching and practice of men? Evidently from 
men hath it come. There is nothing in the teaching 
and practice of Christ and His apostles to have caused 
such confusion. With them there was 'one Lord, one 
faith and one baptism,' and that *one baptism' has 
been so clearly defined far us in the teaching and 
practice of Christ and His apostles that there can be 
but little, if any, room for doubt as to just what it is 
and how it is to be performed, when we rely altogether 
for our authority upon the word of God; but when 
we turn away from the inspired Word and give heed 
to the 'commandments and traditions of men,' then 
it is that confusion begins to reign. 

147 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

*' Notice, my friends, some of the plain utterances 
of God's word on the subject of baptism. 

** 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gos- 
pel to every creature. He that believeth and is bap- 
tized shaU be saved' (Mark 16:15, 16). 

*' 'See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be 
baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all 
thine heart, thou may est' (Acts 8:36, 37). 

"From this commission of Christ to His apostles 
and from the practice of an inspired evangelist, we 
learn that the one baptism of the New Testament was 
intended for believers only. 

" 'Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto 
John to be baptized of him' (Matt. 3: 13). 

" 'And as they went on their way, they came to a 
certain water' (Acts 8:36). 

"From these passages we learn that persons de- 
siring to be baptized went to the water. 

" 'And he commanded the chariot to stand still: 
and they went down both into the water, both Philip 
and the eunuch' (Acts 8:38). 

"Thus the Word teaches that both the candi 
date and the administrator went down into the 
water. 

" 'Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the 
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also 
should walk in newness of life' (Rom. 6:4). 

" 'Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are 
risen with him through the operation of God, who 
hath raised him from the dead' (Col. 2:12). 

148 



REMOVING THE BARRIERS 



*' Brethren, the Word teaches that baptism is a 
burial and a resurrection. 

'' 'And when they were come up out of the water' 
(Acts 8:39); 

" 'And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up 
straightway out of the water' (Matt. 3:16). 

"The Word teaches that after they were baptized 
they came up out of the water. 

" 'The like figure whereunto baptism doth also 
now save us' (1 Pet. 3:21). 

"The Word teaches that baptism is in some way 
connected with our salvation. 

" 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in 
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, 
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost' 
(Acts 2:38). 

"The inspired Word says baptism is for, or unto, 
the remission of sins. 

"Such, my friends, are some of the utterances of 
God's word on the subject of baptism. These utter- 
ances are plain and simple; there is nothing ambiguous 
or uncertain about them; nothing to puzzle or confuse. 
Indeed, it is only when we turn away from the plain 
utterances of God's word and listen to the babblings 
of men that we become confused. I want you to 
notice, friends, how every statement of the inspired 
Word in the texts quoted has been challenged or 
changed by the teaching and practice of men. 

"The Word says, 'If thou believest with all thine 
heart, thou mayest' (be baptized), but men baptize 
both believers and non-believers. 

149 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''The Word says persons desiring to be baptized 
went to tbe water, but men have adopted the custom 
of bringing the water to them. 

''The Word says, 'They went down into the water,' 
but men say, 'It isn't necessary to go down into the 
water. ' 

"The Word says, *We are buried with Christ by 
baptism.' Men say, 'To moisten the head is sufficient.' 

"The Word says, 'They came up out of the water,' 
but in the practice of men (some men) there is no 
coming up out of the water, for the reason they have 
not been in it. 

"The Word says, 'The like figure whereunto bap- 
tism doth also now save us,' but men say, 'Baptism 
has nothing to do with our salvation ; that men are 
saved before they are baptized and baptized because 
they are saved.' 

"The Word says, 'Repent, and be baptized for the 
remission of sins,' but men say, 'We are not baptized 
for the remission of sins, but because of remission.' 

"Thus you see how uninspired men have set at 
naught the teaching of the inspired Word. Can you 
not see, my friends, the source from whence our con- 
fusion has come — that it came from the teaching and 
practice of uninspired men, rather than from the 
teaching and practice of the inspired apostles? 

"You ask me how the whole-hearted acceptance of 
the proposition that 'Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the 
living God,' is going to remove the barrier growing 
out of our several modes of baptism. I answer it will 
remove it by placing us all under the same authority; 

150 



REMOVING THE BARRIERS 



viz., Christ and His inspired Word. Brethren, when 
we all take our stand whole-heartedly upon that foun- 
dation, then we will cast to the winds the creeds and 
confessions of faith that have been written by unin- 
spired men, and say to their authors: ' G-entlemen, we 
no longer recognize these things as containing any 
authority for us. Henceforth we turn to Christ, and 
to Him alone, for our authority.' And when we do, 
union will follow as an inevitable result. *' 

Bro. Logan: ''Mr. Chairman, I desire to thank 
Bro. Birch for his plain, yet courteous, answer to my 
question. It has enabled me to grasp an entirely 
new thought with reference to the subject of Christian 
union. I now see, as never before, the practicability 
of us uniting and becoming one grand brotherhood. 
Never before have I seen the way so plain and so 
simple as now. At the time I thought it rather a 
rash statement our brother made in his former speech, 
when he said, 'There is one, and only one, proposition 
to which if the people of God will but subscribe, 
union will follow as an inevitable result,' but I am 
now prepared to accept that statement as true, and 
I here and now take my stand whole-heartedly upon 
that proposition. I do it with a full consciousness of 
the fact that it is going to compel me to abandon 
some things which I have hitherto practiced largely 
upon the authority of men, rather than upon the 
authority of Christ Himself. I confess to you, breth- 
ren, that my views upon the subject of Christianity 
are lar-gely the result of impressions made upon my 
mind by the reading of certain theological books, 

151 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

rather than the resnilt of impressions made by the 
reading of the word of God itself. But now that I 
have decided to accept Christ, and Him alone, as my 
authority, I shall cast to the winds the writings of 
uninspired men, and turn to the inspired Word 
itself for all my authority; and since the vision I have 
had to-night of Christ upon the mount of transfigura- 
tion, I think I shall be able to use even the inspired 
Word more intelligently than heretofore. 

"Never before have I been able to grasp the full 
meaning and significance of those words which God 
spake, when He said : * This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.' I have read 
the account of Christ's transfiguration many times, 
and even preached about it, but the main thought 
I had gotten from it was the glory that awaited 
Christ when He had finished His mission, the lesson 
becoming more precious to me in contemplation of the 
thought that some day I should be permitted to share 
with Him His glory. But the fact that Moses and 
Elias were there had never appealed to me as having 
any special significance. The story would have been 
just as full of meaning to me had Abraham and 
Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, or David and Solomon, been 
there instead of Moses and Elias; but I see now the 
wisdom of God in calling Moses and Elias there. 
Moses was the lawgiver of the old covenant; Elias 
was a representative of the prophets, who, under the 
old covenant, stood between God and man as special 
revelators of His will. But at the time of Christ's 
transfiguration the old covenant had well-nigh fulfilled 

152 



REMOVING THE BARRIERS 



its mission, and was soon to pass away; a new cove- 
nant, established upon better promises, was soon to 
take its place. Hence the necessity of God calling 
Moses and Elias there that, in the presence of those 
Jewish apostles, they might surrender unto Christ their 
authority, and constitute Him the sole and absolute 
lawgiver of the Christian dispensation. How full, 
then, of significance and meaning are the words of 
God, when He said: 'This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.' 

"Friends, as sure as day follows night, the author- 
ity has been transferred from Moses and the prophets 
unto Christ, and it is Christ we are to hear in all 
things pertaining to the Christian religion. I confess 
unto you, brethren, to having been guilty in the past 
of mixing the authority of Moses and the authority 
of Christ. Many are the times I have rummaged 
through the law of Moses for proof-texts to justify 
certain practices of the church to which I belong, 
rather than to rely on the instructions given by Christ 
and His apostles; but henceforth my appeal shall be 
to the new rather than to the old, to Christ rather than 
to Moses." 



153- 



CHAPTER XV. 
TRINE IMMERSION 

BRO. POWELL: ''Mr. Chairman, I, too, must con- 
fess to having gotten a new vision in the evening's 
discussion. I see, as never before, the necessity of 
relying upon a single authority in order to union, 
and evidently Christ is the authority upon which God 
intended us to rely; and, since the apostles were the 
medium through whom Christ has communicated His 
will unto men, it is evident that the system of truth 
written by them, under the guidance of the Divine 
Spirit, is the system of truth that is to govern the 
citizens of His kingdom here on earth. We know that 
the early Christians recognized the inspired apostles 
as their authority, for it is written of them that 'they 
continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine,' and I, 
for one, am willing to join hands with any people 
who are willing to renounce all human creeds and 
confessions of faith and accept the Bible as their rule 
of faith and practice. Indeed, that is what we as a 
people claim to do now. Bro. Birch and his people 
claim to do the same thing, yet there is considerable 
dissimilarity in our doctrine and our practice, and I 
would like Bro. Birch to state how these differences 
are to be reconciled to that extent we can all worship 
together." 

154 



TRINE IMMERSION 



Bro. Birch: ''Will Bro. Powell please state what, 
in his estimation, are the differences in doctrine and 
practice which prevent his people worshiping with us?" 

''There are -several points of difference, but I men- 
tion only two of them; viz., baptism and f oot- washing. " 

"It is true, Bro. Powell, there is a difference in 
our practice in regard to these things, but I do not 
consider the differences irreconcilable. A strict adher- 
ence to the instructions given us by the inspired apos- 
tles would, I think, enable us to adjust them satis- 
factorily. ' ' 

"Do you think, Bro. Birch, there is any likelihood 
of you and your people ever abandoning single for 
trine immersion?" 

"While I consider your question a little prema- 
ture, Bro. Powell, yet it had as well, perhaps, be asked 
now as later. I answer by saying that I am ready 
to abandon anything that doesn't harmonize with the 
teaching of Christ, as His teaching has been elucidated 
for us by the teaching and practice of His inspired 
apostles." 

"Well, it is very clear to my mind that Christ 
taught trine immersion, for He said, 'Go teach all 
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father 
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,' and if you 
are going to conform strictly to the teaching of Christ, 
you, too, will have to teach and practice trine im- 
mersion. * * 

"I propose to stand by the teaching of Christ, 
Bro. Powell, but I shall not allow you nor any other 
uninspired man nor council of men to interpret for me 

155 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

the meaning of His teaching. I said awhile ago that 
I was willing to abandon anything that didn't har- 
monize with the teaching of Christ, as His teaching 
lias been elucidated for ils by the teaching and practice 
of His inspired apostles. I take it that the apostles, 
guided ^as they were by the Divine Spirit, were better 
prepared to interpret the meaning of Christ's teaching 
than any one else, and when I go to the record of 
their teaching and work under the guidance of the 
Divine Spirit, I fail to find therein anything to indi- 
cate that they understood a person had to be immersed 
once in the name of the Father, once in the name 
of the Son and once in the name of the Holy Spirit, 
in order to comply with the demand of Christ to be 
baptized. 

**0n the day of Pentecost, after preaching his first 
gospel sermon, Peter said to those inquiring the way 
of life: 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you 
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, 
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' 

"Again, Paul came to Ephesus and found certain 
disciples there — converts of Apollos, who knew only 
the baptism of John — and, after explaining to them 
the way of the Lord more perfectly, they were baptized 
in the name of the Lord Jesus If, as you contend, 
a person must be immersed once in the name of the 
Father, once in the name of the Son and once in the 
name of the Holy Spirit in order to be baptized, then 
those persons who were immersed only in the name 
of the Lord Jesus were not Scripturally baptized; but 
the inspired apostles seemed to think they were, and 

156 



TRINE IMMERSION 



I am inclined to think they knew, for Christ had 
taught them something of the closeness of the relation- 
ship existing between the Father, Son and Spirit. 

"Just before His betrayal Jesus told His apostles 
He was going to leave them. The thought made them 
sad, and, in order to comfort them. He spake to them 
very tenderly about His Father's house and the place 
He was going to prepare for them, and Philip said 
unto Him: 'Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth 
us.' Jesus said unto him: 'Hast thou been so long 
time with me, and dost thou not know me, Philip? 
He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also. 
Knowest thou not that I am in the Father, and the 
Father in me?' And I suppose, had Philip asked to 
see the Spirit, Christ, with equal propriety, might 
have said, 'He that hath seen me hath seen the Spirit 
also,' for the Spirit dwelt in Him 'without measure.' 
Philip didn't have to look once at God, once at Christ 
and once at the Holy Spirit in order to behold God, 
Christ and the Holy Spirit. One look at the Christ 
was sufficient to reveal unto him the Godhead in all 
of its fullness, for Paul declares that *in him dwelleth 
all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,' and, judging 
from the teaching and practice of the apostles, a 
person doesn't have to be baptized once in the name 
of the Father, once in the name of the Son and once 
in the name of the Holy Spirit in order to have fellow- 
ship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, but one 
immersion into Christ brings him into vital relationship 
with, and into possession of, all that is contained in 
the Godhead.'' 

157 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Bro. Powell: "Are you aware, Bro. Birch, that the 
practice of trine immersion can be traced, through 
the channels of secular history, back to the first century 
of the Christian era?" 

Bro. Birch: ''No, I am not aware, Bro. Powell, 
that such a thing can be done; but, even if it could, 
it would be' no evidence that Christ and His apostles 
taught and practiced it. Our Catholic brethren claim 
to be able to trace an unbroken line of popes back 
to the apostolic age, but that is no evidence that the 
Papacy existed by divine authority. I have read 
R. H. Miller's book, entitled 'The Doctrines of the 
Brethren,' in which he attempts to trace the prac- 
tice of trine immersion back to the apostles, but, to 
my mind, he fails in the attempt. The witness used 
to connect the practice with the apostolic age is 
Dionysius, supposed to be the Areopagite of Athens, 
but I presume, Bro. Powell, you are aware of the fact 
that the writings attributed to him have been pro- 
nounced spurious by the scholarship of the world. 
Robinson, in his encyclopedia, says: 'The works attrib- 
uted to him are spurious.' Chambers, in his ency- 
clopedia, declares the same thing, and gives as his 
reason for so doing the fact that 'the writings contain 
splendid descriptions of the ceremonies of the Catholic 
worship, glorification of the priestly hierarchy, pane- 
gyrics on the monastic life,' etc. St. Anthony is con- 
sidered the father of the monastic order connected 
with the Catholic Church, and yet Anthony wasn't 
born until A. D. 251. How, then, could Dionysius, 
who lived and died in the first century, have written 

158 



TRINE IMMERSION 



a description of an order tlie father of whicli wasn't 
born until tlie middle of the third century? Chambers' 
Encyclopedia says: 'The style, contents and historic 
allusion clearly indicate that the author of these 
writings could not have flourished before the close 
of the fifth century, and, in fact, the writings first 
made their appearance in the sixth century.' 

"In the face of such evidence as this concerning 
the spuriousness of the writings attributed to Dio- 
nysius, I can not think, Bro. Powell, that Mr. Miller 
was justifiable in using Dionysius as a witness to 
connect the practice of trine immersion with the apos- 
tolic age. 

''But this is not the only instance in which Mr. 
Miller allowed his zeal to lead him to do a thing 
of very questionable propriety. TertuUian, who wrote 
about the beginning of the third century, is another 
of his witnesses, and, concerning the practice, he 
quotes Tertullian as saying: 'We are immersed for 
each name, into each person, not once, but thrice.' 
Now, I have no desire to question the genuineness of 
this statement. I suppose Tertullian made it, but 
you will agree with me, Bro. Powell, I am sure, in 
this; viz., that when one man attempts to establish 
a matter upon the testimony of another, he is morally 
bound to heed all that witness has to say on the 
subject. This, Mr. Miller has failed to do in this case. 
He quotes only a part of what Tertullian had to say 
on the subject. In his history of the Ante-Nicene 
Fathers, Bishop Cox quotes Tertullian as saying: 
'When we come to the water, having renounced 

11 159 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

allegiance unto Satan, we are then thrice immersed, 
making a somewhat ampler pledge than was appointed 
by Christ in His gospel.' From this it would seem 
that, while Tertullian admitted persons were thrice 
immersed in his day, yet he considered it a going 
beyond the actual requirements of the gospel ; in other 
words, an addition, by man, to the gospel plan. 

"Jerome also considered it such. He says: 'Many 
of the things that are practiced in the church, by 
tradition, have usurped to themselves the authority of 
the written Word, such as immersing the face thrice 
in the bath.' 

''So you see, Bro. Powell, the chain with which 
Mr. Miller attempts to connect the practice with the 
apostles breaks in twain before it reaches them, and 
I, for one, don't care to link my faith to a broken 
chain. 

"The facts in the case are, the practice can only 
be traced with any degree of certainty to the second 
century. At that time there arose quite a heated 
controversy over the subject of the 'Trinity,' which 
culminated in the writing of the 'Nicene Creed' in 
324, and its supplement, the 'Nicean Constantinopol- 
itan Creed,' in 381, and it seems very probable, to 
my mind, that the practice of trine immersion is one 
of the fruits of that controversy, as its practice can 
he traced to that period, but not beyond. 

"The question that directly concerns us, however, 
is not whether the practice can be traced back to the 
apostolic age, but whether or not the apostles them- 
selves taught and practiced it. And, relying solely 

160 



TRINE IMMERSION 



upon the New Testament record of their work, I fail 
to find anything to indicate that they did either. With 
them there was 'one Lord, one faith and one baptism,' 
and there isn't in the New Testament a single baptism 
the record of which intimates that it was accomplished 
by a triple action, nor is it anywhere affirmed that the 
apostles used the words of Christ contained in the 
commission recorded by Matthew as a formula for 
administering the ordinance. Mark you, Bro. Powell, 
I am not saying, nor am I attempting to prove, that 
the apostles didn't use those words as a formula, but, 
relying solely upon the New Testament record of their 
work, you couldn't prove they did, to save your life. 

*'In his 'History of the Christian Religion,' 
Neander writes as follows: 'The formula of baptism 
in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, 
which is cited as the traditional one by Justin Martyr, 
is, perhaps, not the oldest; but the older is perhaps 
the shorter formula, which refers only to Christ, to 
which there is allusion in the New Testament, which 
Marcion also insists on in his attempt to bring about 
a restoration of the original gospel, and which, amid 
the disputes concerning the baptism of heretics, still 
received special recognition. At all events, this shorter 
formula contains within it, as must be allowed, all 
that which in the longer one is but more fully analyzed 
and unfolded' (Vol. I., p. 310). 

"That the apostles entertained the same opinion 
expressed by Neander in this last sentence seems 
rather probable. With them to honor the Son was 
to honor the Father also. To dishonor the Son was 

161 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

to dishonor the Father. Hence it is written: 'He 
that confesseth the Son hath the Father also' (1 
John 2:23). No use of two separate confessions in 
order .to honor both the Father and the Son; but 
the single act of confessing the Son secures to the 
individual the blessing of both Father and Son. 

''But whether the apostles used the longer or the 
shorter of these formulas, it remains to be proven that 
they immersed their candidates three times; and, until 
it is proven, you have no right to make trine immer- 
sion a prerequisite to church membership. In the 
absence of a thus saith the Lord, either in 'expressed 
command or by approved precedent,' you have no 
more right to demand that a person be thrice immersed 
than you have to demand that a father and mother 
shall have their infant babe baptized. You would 
question your authority in the case of the latter upon 
the ground that the New Testament is silent on the 
question of infant baptism ; and yet, if you were asked 
to put your finger on a single passage of Scripture 
that clearly authorizes trine immersion, you could not 
do it to save your life. Of course, you could point out 
certain passages which, in yoiir opinion, authorize it: 
but the pedobaptists can also point out certain passages 
which, in tTieir opinion, authorize infant baptism, and 
they have just as much right to insist that others 
shall conform to their opinion as you have to insist 
that others shall conform to yours, and neither of 
you have any rights in the matter. No man^ nor set 
of men, has any right to place a yoke upon the neck 
of their fellow-men, other than the yoke which God 

162 



TRINE IMMERSION 



Himself has placed there by the plain teaching of 
His word. 

''The Scriptures plainly teach that persons con- 
victed of sin and seeking pardon 'went to the water,' 
and, in company with an administrator, 'went down 
into the water,' were 'buried with Christ by bap- 
tism,' and raised 'to walk in newness of life.' This 
is not a matter of mere human opinion. It is the 
plain teaching of God's word, and, as preachers of 
the gospel, Bro. Powell, it is your duty and mine 
to insist that men shall conform to such teaching. 
But for either of us to refuse a person fellowship 
in the church because he failed to conform to a 
certain standard we had erected on mere human 
opinion is certainly going beyond the bounds of our 
authority. 

"As preachers of the gospel, we have no right 
to make the way into the church of Christ more 
difficult than the apostles themselves made it, nor 
have we any right to make the way easier than they 
made it. 

"When Christ, after His resurrection, breathed 
upon His apostles and said, 'Receive ye the Holy 
Ghost; whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted 
unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are 
retained,' he evidently did it with a view of vesting 
them with authority to declare to the world the con- 
ditions of pardon and citizenship in His kingdom, soon 
to be established. 

"That the apostles were conscious that such au- 
thority had been delegated to them, is evident by the 

163 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

promptness with which they responded with instruc- 
tions when sin-burdened men and women came to them 
with the question, 'What shall we do?' 

''That the people recognized them as authority is 
evident by the readiness with which they followed their 
instructions. Not only their instructions relative to 
becoming members of the church, but also their in- 
structions pertaining to their conduct as Christians, 
for of them it is written: 'They continued stedfastly 
in the apostles' doctrine.' 

"My friends, I hold up before you to-night, as 
the great 'Magna Charta' of the kingdom of Christ 
on earth, the New Testament Scriptures, which con- 
tain the record of the ministry of Christ and His 
chosen apostles — those men whom He entrusted with 
the authority to teach men the way of life and salva- 
tion — and I commend unto you, as a panacea for all 
the ills of a divided Christendom, the system of doc- 
trine which they have left recorded therein. What 
they taught, let us teach ; what they practiced, let us 
practice, and the wound of denominationalism will 
then be healed." 

Mr. Sullivan : ' ' Mr. Chairman, I am a member of 
the church commonly known as the 'Brethren Church.' 
I am heartily in favor of organic Christian union. 
Until to-night I was a little skeptical as to our ability 
to adjust all our differences, but my skepticism has 
all been banished by a new thought which came to me 
while listening to Bro. Birch's address. To my mind, 
the brother uttered a great truth when he said: 'The 
apostles, guided as they were by the Divine Spirit, are 

164 



TRINE IMMERSION 



better interpreters of tlie meaning of Christ's utter- 
ances than any one else.' 

''Never before, Mr. Chairman, had I thought of the 
apostles as being the interpreters of Christ's utterances 
for us. But, in reality, isn't that just what Christ 
meant them to be? Before leaving them He told them 
He would 'pray the Father, and he would send them 
another Comforter, even the Spirit of truth, whom the 
world cannot receive. . . . He will teach you all things, 
and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever 
I have said unto you.' Evidently, the purpose of 
Christ in having the Spirit reveal these things to His 
apostles was that they might make the same known 
unto others, and thus become the interpreters of 
Christ's teaching. 

"There is a diversity of opinions among us con- 
cerning the meaning of some of Christ's utterances. 
For instance, when He said in His commission to His 
apostles, 'Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Spirit,' and again in His utterance upon the occasion 
of washing His disciples' feet. 

"Some interpret these utterances to mean one thing 
and some another, but evidently the apostles understood 
what they meant after that the Holy Spirit had come 
to illumine their minds, for the promise was : ' He shall 
bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I 
have said unto you.' Whatever commands, then, 
Christ meant to convey to His apostles by the 
utterances mentioned were made clear to them 
by the Divine Spirit, and we may rest .assured 

165 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

they were executed by them throughout their public 
ministry. 

''To understand, then, what Christ meant when He 
said 'baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,' we have but to 
examine the record of the apostles' teaching and prac- 
tice, for they were the Spirit-guided interpreters of 
the teachings of Christ for us. If they taught persons 
should be thrice immersed, let us teach it. If they 
practiced it, let us practice it. If they taught that 
the members of Christ's church should meet together 
once each year to wash one another's feet, let us teach 
it. If they practiced it, let us practice it. In other 
words, let us recognize the Spirit-filled apostles as the 
interpreters of Christ's teaching for us, and, like the 
disciples of old, let us 'continue stedfastly in the 
apostles' doctrine.' " 

At this juncture a motion was made and carried 
to adjourn to Monday evening, after which the chair- 
man tendered his thanks to the audience for their 
patience through the unusually long session, and urged 
that all make an effort before the next meeting to 
acquaint themselves as much as possible with the 
teaching and practice of Christ and His inspired 
apostles, that, when they came together again, they 
might know the course they should pursue. The bene- 
diction was pronounced by Bro. Clark. 



166 



CHAPTER XVI. 
AFFUSION 

THERE were unusually large audiences at the reg- 
ular services on Sunday, but nothing transpired 
worthy of special mention. 

Interest in the proposed anion was in nowise abated 
by the two days' interim. The proceedings of the 
meetings were published in the paper the latter part 
of the week, and many new faces were seen when the 
audience assembled on Monday evening. 

After a brief season of song and prayer, the chair- 
man announced that they were now ready to take up 
the work where they left off on Friday evening. 

Bro. Logan, the Presbyterian i-reacher, was the first 
to speak. His remarks were as follows: 

''Mr. Chairman, according to appointment, we are 
here again to continue the investigation begun last 
week. Our last session was largely devoted to a dis- 
cussion of the subject of 'Trine Immersion.' Just what 
concessions, if any, our brethren who practice that 
mode to the exclusion of all others are going to make, 
I haven't been informed, but my object is to call 
attention to another phase of the baptismal subject 
that must, in some way, be settled before a union can 
be effected. 

167 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

•*As a Presbyterian, I am accustomed to sprinkle 
my converts, though, in some instances, at the request 
of the candidate, I have immersed, and, in view of the 
controversy that has arisen over this subject, it seems 
to me, Mr. Chairman, that this is the course we should 
pursue. As I understand it, baptism has to do mainly 
with the conscience of the individual submitting to it; 
in fact, the Book says, *It is the answer of a good 
conscience toward God,' and, that being true, what- 
ever satisfies the conscience is sufficient. Some are 
satisfied with sprinkling, some with pouring and some 
with immersion ; and, for this reason, I think we should 
allow the candidates to choose whatever mode they like 
best, and recognize them all as valid." 

Mr. Middleton: "Bro. Logan, a few weeks ago, in 
the absence of our pastor, I attended services at your 
church. At the close of the service you asked for an 
offering for Foreign Missions. With only the best of 
motives, my brother, I would like to ask what your 
object was in taking that offering." 

"My object was to add it to other offerings taken 
for the same purpose, and send missionaries to foreign 
countries to preach the gospel to the people there." 

*'Are you not aware that those people aU have 
their religions?" 

"Yes, but they are false religions, and my object 
is to teach them the religion of Jesus Christ, the only 
true religion." 

"But do you not think that the consciences of those 
people approve the services they are rendering to their 
gods? And, if so, why do they approve them?" 

168 



AFFUSION 



"Yes, I believe their consciences approve them, and 
the reason is they have been taught that way. My 
object is to correct the false teaching, and thus trans- 
form their consciences/' 

"You admit, then, that teaching has something 
to do with one's conscience?" 

"I most certainly do. Conscience is a creature of 
education. ' ' 

"Now, Bro. Logan, I heard you upon one occasion 
say that, so far as you were concerned, you believed 
in immersion, and that when you were baptized, you 
were immersed. May I ask why you preferred immer- 
sion in the case of your own baptism." 

"I preferred it because, in my investigation of the 
subject, the Scriptures seemed to teach it." 

"If, then, you believe the Scriptures teach immer- 
sion, why do you not teach it?" 

"I do teach it, but not to the exclusion of all 
other forms. I want to be as liberal and broad as 
possible." 

"Then I would suggest, my brother, that you. have 
an excellent opportunity for displaying your broadness 
and liberality in dealing with the heathen in foreign 
lands. Instead of sending missionaries to try to con- 
vert them to the Christian religion, why not just say 
to them, 'Now, gentlemen, there are gods many and 
religions many, just take your choice; whatever re- 
ligion satisfies your conscience is right to you, and 
we will recognize it as valid'?" 

"That wouldn't be right. Those people are in 
error, and should be taught the truth." 

169 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

''You have already admitted that the consciences 
of those people approve their worship, and now you 
admit they are in error. Therefore, according to your 
own logic, a person's conscience may approve his con- 
duct, while, at the same time, that person is practicing 
an error. If the people of Africa and other heathen 
lands can have the approval of their consciences while 
believing in and practicing error, isn't it pretty strong 
evidence that the people of America might have the 
approval of their consciences while, at the same time, 
they, too, are practicing error? I think it pretty 
strong evidence, and, in view of the possibility of 
one's conscience approving them in error, do you not 
think, Bro. Logan, that, in your effort to appear broad 
and liberal, you are stretching yourself beyond the 
bounds of safety when you say to your converts, many 
of whom have never given the subject of Christian 
baptism a single serious thought in their lives, 'Now, 
just take your choice in the matter of your baptism; 
whatever satisfies your conscience will be all right, and 
we will recognize it as valid'? Since, as you say, 
conscience is a creature of education, why not educate 
it? Why not take your Bible and sit down and read 
to those converts, without comment, all that it has to 
say on the subject of baptism and a few passages 
showing the necessity of obedience, and then, with 
their minds enlightened by the Word of truth, leave 
them to settle the matter between themselves and 
their God? That, in my opinion, would be a safer 

and saner way.'' 

170 



AFFUSION 



Bro. Birch: "May I ask, Bro. Logan, what per 
cent, of the people coming to you for baptism requested 
to be sprinkled, rather than immersed?'' 

''I presume that fully 95 per cent, of them so 
requested. ' ' 

''Are we to understand from that that 95 per cent, 
of your preaching on the subject of baptism has been 
in favor of sprinkling?'' 

''No, I plead not guilty to the charge. I have not 
exalted sprinkling above immersion, nor immersion 
above sprinkling, but have left them both upon a 
common level." 

"Since, then, you have not exalted one above the 
other, how do you account for 95 per cent, of your 
converts choosing sprinkling rather than immersion?" 

"Really, I have never thought of that particular 
phase of the subject, Bro. Birch, but I presume the 
people considered sprinkling the more convenient." 

"I believe you are right, Bro. Logan; convenience 
is certainly the only reason that can be assigned for 
it. There is in humanity, as we all know, a disposition 
to choose the easy, rather than the hard, way for doing 
things, when convinced that the same end may be 
attained ; and such a disposition is perfectly legitimate 
and right. There is no good reason why a man should 
persist in pulling a heavy load over a rough and hilly 
roadway if there be another way of equal length lead- 
ing to the same place that is smooth and level. But, 
mark you, that apparently inherent disposition in 
humanity to choose the easy rather than the difficult 
way, when convinced that the same end may be at- 

171 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNTfY CAME TO ALPHA 

tained, is not to be taken as evidence of their unwill- 
ingness to travel the difficult, when convinced that it 
would be more pleasing unto God. 

''If those men who introduced sprinkling as a 
substitute for Christian baptism did so because they 
thought such a change necessary in order to induce 
penitent believers to be baptized, they were guilty of 
grossly misjudging their fellow-men, for the thousands 
and tens of thousands of men and women who have 
suffered martyrdom for the cause of Christ proves 
beyond all doubt that the penitent believer in Christ 
is not only willing to stem the flood, but also the 
flames, when fully convinced that loyalty to Christ 
demands it. It is not the preacher's mission to try 
to make the way of life easy, but to convince the 
people that it is God's will that they should walk in 
that way. 

''Did you ever stop to consider why Christ chose 
preaching as the means of saving the world? Was 
it not because he knew the great mass of the people 
could never be reached in any other way? I heard a 
man say (and he had made a careful study of the 
subject) that only five per cent, of the people are 
independent thinkers on the subject of religion ; that 
is, persons who can and will take the time and trouble 
to investigate for themselves and form their conclu- 
sions by a careful weighing of evidence. The remain- 
ing 95 per cent, are so engrossed with the business and 
pleasures of life that they either can not or will not 
take the time for personal investigation. Christ evi- 
dently knew that such conditions would exist, and 

172 



AFFUSION 



hence, in giving His commission to His apostles, in- 
stead of telling them to go and put a Bible into the 
hands of every man and woman — which course would 
have been sufficient were all independent thinkers and 
investigators after truth — He said unto them, 'Go and 
preach the gospel' unto them. And, my brother, it's 
the only way we can ever reach the masses. Ninety- 
five per cent, of the people are waiting, like clay in 
the potter's shop, to be molded by us preachers into 
vessels of honor or dishonor, according as we present 
unto them the claims of Christ, and I firmly believe, 
Bro. Logan, that, in the majority of cases, we will find 
the people just as submissive as the clay to endure 
hardness, when fully convinced that it is necessary for 
their spiritual welfare. May I ask, Bro. Logan, how 
many persons you have baptized?" 

''I haven't the figures at hand, Bro. Birch, but I 
think I may safely say that, during the nine years of 
my- ministry, I have baptized approximately a thou- 
sand persons." 

"Thank you, Bro. Logan, and pardon me for bring- 
ing my own work into contrast with yours, for I 
assure you it is only with the best of motives that I 
do it. My ministry covers a longer period of time than 
does yours — fifteen years. During that time I have 
baptized more than two thousand persons, and not 
one of them requested to be sprinkled, while, according 
to your statement, 95 per cent, of yours so requested. 
How are we going to account for this difference? We 
can account for it in no other way than -upon the 
grounds of our teaching. In presenting the gospel to 

173 




HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

the people, I have contended for the 'one baptism' 
taught and practiced by the apostles; viz., the immer- 
sion in water of penitent believers in Christ. In other 
words, I have brought the people face to face with the 
plain statement made by the apostle Paul, when he 
said, 'We are buried with him by baptism into death,' 
and, when convinced of their duty, I have found them 
ready and willing to respond ; and what they have done 
for me they would have done for you, had you 
earnestly contended for the 'one baptism' which your 
investigation convinced you the Bible taught and to 
which you yourself submitted." 

"Perhaps you are right, Bro. Birch; but, while 
investigation convinced me that the Bible taught im- 
mersion, yet others think they find in it authority for 
sprinkling." 

Bro. Mason: "Will Bro. Logan, or any one else, 
please point out to us a single passage, either in the 
Old Testament or the New, that authorizes sprinkling 
for baptism?" 

Mr. Wilson : "I call the brother 's attention to 
Matt. 3:11, wherein John says: 'I indeed baptize you 
with water.' That, to my mind, proves that John 
either sprinkled or poured water upon them." 

"You are very easily convinced, Bro. Wilson, if it 
requires no stronger evidence than is contained in that 
passage to do it. Seriously, my brother, that passage 
doesn't contain any information whatever as to how 
John baptized his converts. It simply affirms that 
water was the element used, but how he used it isn't 
hinted at in the passage, even as it stands in the 

174 



AFFUSION 



Authorized Version. If it is the use of the word 'with' 
that enables you to see sprinkling or pouring in it, I 
would suggest that a person could be drowned witJi 
water as truly as being submerged in it, or by having 
it sprinkled or poured upon him. Indeed, Peter, 
speaking of the old world, says : ' The world that then 
was, being overflowed with water, perished.' It was 
not the material world that perished, but the people ; 
and it was not until they were submerged that they 
perished. For forty days God had been sprinkling 
them with rain from heaven, but it was not until He 
had succeeded in overwhelming them that He accom- 
plished their destruction; and Peter says He did it 
'with water.' Seeing, then, that a person can be de- 
stroyed with water by being submerged therein, it 
follows as a logical conclusion that a person can be 
baptized with water in the same way. So, granting 
that King James' translators have rightly translated 
that passage, still it doesn't justify you in saying that 
John either sprinkled or poured his converts. But we 
have evidence for believing that King James' trans- 
lators wrongly translated that passage, the strongest 
being the fact that the American committee, associated 
with the British, in the more recent revision, have 
taken the word 'with' out of the passage and placed 
the word 'in' in its stead, so that the American Revised 
Version reads, 'I indeed baptize you in water,' instead 
of with water. The New Testament committee was 
composed of a number of the most eminent scholars 
which our country affords, and by far the majority 
of them were affiliated with churches that practice 
12 175 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

sprinkling or pouring for baptism, so that it can not 
be said they were led to make such a change from any 
selfish motive, but simply because the original manu- 
scripts at their command demanded it. So, you see, 
Bro. Wilson, your own brethren have robbed you of 
whatever consolation that text has afforded you.'* 

"But I would not have you think, Bro. Mason, that 
we base our practice upon that passage alone. There 
are other passages that point in the direction of 
sprinkling. For instance, Isaiah says: 'And he shall 
sprinkle many nations' (Isa. 52:15); and Paul says: 
'Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance 
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil 
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water' 
(Heb. 10:22)." 

After waiting a few moments, Bro. Birch said: "I 
had hoped Bro. Mason would respond to Bro. Wilson's 
remarks, but, as he doesn't seem inclined to, I feel 
impelled to respond myself. I presume, Bro. Wilson, 
you regard your reference from Isaiah as referring to 
Christ, the promised Messiah, do you not?" 

"Yes, sir, I do so regard it." 

"Then, you consider that passage to be a prophecy 
looking forward to the time when Christ, having 
established His kingdom, should go forth from nation 
to nation sprinkling water upon the heads of men and 
women, preparatory to their entrance upon their work 
as citizens of His kingdom?" 

"No, sir, I do not consider it as teaching that 
Christ Himself should do it, but that His disciples 
should, in His name and upon His authority." 

176 



AFFUSION 



*'But I call your attention to the fact that the 
word 'water' isn't in the text at all. Where, then, do 
you get yt)ur authority for saying that it refers to the 
sprinkling of water? In spite of your effort to shift 
the responsibility of this sprinkling upon the disciples, 
yet the text says, 'He shall sprinkle many nations.' 
But, so far as the record goes, Christ never baptized 
any one with water during all His public ministry, 
either by sprinkling, pouring or immersion; and now 
that He has ascended into heaven, we may rest assured 
that He is not so engaged. However, we are not left 
in ignorance of the nature of the work in which He 
is now engaged, nor of the manner in which He is 
seeking to accomplish it. He is now our High Priest, 
and, as such. His sprinkling is that of blood, rather 
than of water. Let us carefully notice a few pas- 
sages : 

*' 'Now of the things which we have spoken this 
is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on 
the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the 
heavens' (Heb. 8:1). 

''This teaches, first, that Christ is our High Priest; 
second, that He occupies a position on the right hand 
of the throne, which is indicative of power. 

" 'But into the second went the high priest alone, 
not without blood, which he offered for himself and 
the errors of the people' (Heb. 9:7). 

"This teaches that, under the old covenant, the 
high priest once each year entered into the Most Holy 
Place of the tabernacle, carrying with him blood, which 
he there offered for himself and the people. 

177 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

" 'For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the 
ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that have b'.en 
defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh, how 
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the 
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, 
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the 
living God' (Heb. 9:13, 14). 

''This teaches that the blood which the high priest 
offered was sprinkled upon those who had been defiled, 
and that it is the blood of Christ (our High Priest) 
that cleanses our consciences from dead works to serve 
the living God. Since, then, under the old covenant, 
it was blood which the high priest used to sprinkle 
the unclean, and since Christ is our High Priest, it is 
more reasonable to conclude that when Isaiah said, 
'He shall sprinkle many nations,' he had reference to 
his work as high priest, and to the sprinkling of blood 
rather than of water. Indeed, Peter seems to have 
had the same idea, for, in writing to the brethren, he 
calls them the 'elect according to the foreknowledge 
of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, 
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 
Christ' (1 Pet. 1:2). Note the steps in the process 
of their becoming the 'elect of God': 'Through sanc- 
tification of the Spirit.' It was the Divine Spirit, 
speaking to them through the gospel, that led them 
to obedience. Obedience brought them into contact 
with the blood of Christ — not literally, but figuratively. 
The blood of Christ was spilt in His death, and, in 
order to be brought into contact with it, we must, in 
some way, be brought into His death. But how can 

178 



AFFUSION 



this be done? Paul says it is accomplished through 
baptism; 'Know ye not that so many of us as were 
baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his 
death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
into death' (Rom. 6:3, 4). It was to persons who 
had passed through such a process as this that the 
apostle said: 'Let us draw near with a true heart in 
full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled 
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with 
pure water.' They were persons who, through faith, 
repentance and baptism, had had the atoning blood 
of Christ applied to their hearts, until, in full assur- 
ance of faith and a consciousness of sins forgiven, they 
could draw near the mercy-seat and commune with 
God." 

Bro. Logan: "Mr. Chairman, as already stated, I 
am an immersionist, both by conviction and practice; 
that is, by practice so far as my own baptism was 
concerned, for nothing short of inunersion would have 
satisfied me; yet in administering the ordinance to 
others my common practice was to sprinkle them. I 
did it because they requested it. I remember a con- 
versation I had with the first man who came to me 
to be baptized. He asked: 'What do you consider to 
be the proper mode of baptism?' I answered: 'Im- 
mersion.' He referred me to the very passages which 
have been under discussion here to-night, and said he 
thought they contained some authority for sprinkling, 
and requested to be baptized in that way. It was 
upon the strength of those passages that I sprinkled 
him and many others since. But, since listening to 

179 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

this discussion, I am persuaded that I did wrong. 
What right have I to take a passage of Scripture that 
refers to the sprinkling of blood upon the heart and 
use it as authority for sprinkling water upon the body 
and calling it baptism, when the Scriptures clearly 
teach that baptism is the burial in water of penitent 
believers in Christ? Certainly I have none. And since 
sprinkling as a substitute for Christian baptism is one 
of the barriers in the way of organic Christian union, 
I declare unto you, brethren, my purpose to henceforth 
refrain from the practice, and both teach and practice 
the 'one baptism' taught and practiced by Christ and 
His inspired apostles — viz., the immersion in water 
of penitent believers — leaving Christ, our great High 
Priest, to apply, in His own way, His sacrificial blood 
to their hearts." 

At the close of his remarks several voices rang out 
with a hearty "Amen," after which Bro. Clark arose 
and said : 

"Brethren, Bro. Logan has spoken my sentiments 
exactly. I, too, have been guilty of substituting 
sprinkling for the baptism taught and practiced by the 
apostles, and I am frank to confess that it was always 
with a feeling that I had failed to come up to the 
apostolic standard that I did it; but I am resolved to 
no longer stand in the way of the union of the people 
of God by practicing a substitute for Christian bap- 
tism. Henceforth I shall teach, with Paul, that 'we 
are buried with Christ by baptism into death,' and my 
practice shall be according to my teaching. I will say 
also to those present who have received at my hands 

180 



AFFUSION 



this substitute for Christian baptism, that I shall 
esteem it a pleasure to immerse you/' 

Again the auditorium rang with "Amens/* 
Bro. Birch: '*I rejoice, Mr. Chairman, to know 
these brethren have resolved to abandon this substitute 
for Christian baptism. For, in addition to its being a 
barrier to our union, it is also a meaningless practice. 
The two ordinances which the Lord has left with His 
church — baptism and the Lord's Supper — have each 
an important mission to perform. Paul says : ' As oft 
as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye proclaim 
the Lord's death till he come.' Through this sacred 
ordinance, then, the humble disciple of the Lord, in a 
silent, yet forceful, way, proclaims the fact that Christ 
died to redeem the world from sin. But the death of 
Christ was not all that was necessary in order to 
redeem man from sin. His resurrection was just as 
necessary as was His death. Indeed, the apostle Paul 
makes His resurrection the keystone for supporting the 
whole structure of human redemption. He says: 'If 
Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and 
your faith is also vain' (1 Cor. 15:14). Since, then, 
the resurrection of Christ was an event equal in im- 
portance with His death, and since the Lord appointed 
an ordinance to perpetuate the memory of His death, 
it is only reasonable that He should also appoint one 
to perpetuate the thought of His resurrection. And 
that He did when He ordained the ordinance of Chris- 
tian baptism. Just as the humble disciple, in a silent, 
yet forceful, way, proclaims the fact of Christ 's death 
in partaking of the bread and wine, so the penitent 

181 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

believer, in submitting to the ordinance of baptism, is 
proclaiming, in a silent, yet forceful, way, not only His 
death and burial, but also the great fact that He arose 
from the tomb. I therefore rejoice in the stand which 
these brethren have taken." 

Mr. Sims: "Mr. President, as I see it, the greatest 
barrier in the way of our union has begun to crumble 
by the stand taken by these two brethren. The only 
doubt I ever had regarding our ability to effect a union 
between the several churches of our town grew out of 
the baptismal question. I never did believe that a 
community of believers, who had grown sick and tired 
of denominationalism, would permit their party names 
to stand in the way of their union, when the ' one Lord ' 
whom they serve had offered them a name which they 
could all wear without any sacrifice of conscience. Nor 
could I believe they would permit their human creeds 
and systems of faith to keep them apart, when the 
'one faith' of the New Testament was at their com- 
mand. But whether they could all be induced to accept 
the 'one baptism' was a question concerning which I 
had some doubt. The magnanimous stand, however, 
taken by Bros. Logan and Clark has well-nigh banished 
that doubt from my mind. I sincerely trust that those 
who compose the churches to which they minister will 
manifest the same magnanimous spirit, and thus rid us 
of one of the most troublous barriers that stand in 
the way of our union." 

Evelyn Drew: "Mr. Chairman, to me belongs the 
distinction of being the last to receive Bro. Clark's 
substitute for Christian baptism. It was only a short 

182 



AFFUSION 



time ago that I decided to unite with the church, and 
when Bro. Clark asked me how I desired to be bap- 
tized, I told him I desired to be sprinkled, and that I 
preferred to attend to the matter at once, and 'it was 
done. I consider myself, Mr. Chairman, a representa- 
tive of that great throng of young people, and not a 
few older ones, who every year go into the church 
with but little or no knowledge of the Bible. I speak 
truly when I say that, prior to the time I united with 
the church, I had never given the subject of Christian 
baptism a single serious thought. I had seen persons 
baptized — some by immersion and some by sprinkling 
— but supposed it was just a matter of choice, as I 
had heard persons say one was as good as the other; 
and, with that idea in my mind, I chose that which 
involved the least inconvenience. But the very day I 
united with the church I made a vow to study my 
Bible and make it the rule of my faith and practice. 
I have read and reread every passage in the New 
Testament bearing upon the subject, and when I read 
of the people going 'to the water, ' going 'down into 
the water,' being 'buried with Christ by baptism' and 
'coming up out of the water,' I failed to see any 
similarity between the way I was baptized and the 
way John and the apostles baptized their converts, and 
I gladly accept Bro. Clark's offer to immerse me just 
as soon as it is convenient for him to do so.*' 

Bro. Clark: "Mr. Chairman, since Sister Evelyn 
has thrown the responsibility of her immersion upon 
me, and left the time subject to my convenience, I will 
say to her that I will be at her service to-morrow after- 

183 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

noon at three o'clock. At tliat liour I will be at the 
accustomed place at the creek, ready to immerse her 
and as many others as desire to more fully obey their 
Lord in the matter of their baptism.'' 

Bro. Mason: ''Mr. Chairman, I have opposed this 
scheme from the beginning, and have no doubt but 
that you and all these people regard me the most 
stubborn person in the assembly; but, whatever else 
you may charge me with, one thing is certain, you can 
not charge me with hiding my ideas under a bushel, 
for I have tried to let you know just where I stood 
and what I thought about the matter from time to time. 
One of my reasons for opposing it was I thought it 
impracticable. As a Baptist, I have no sympathy with 
human substitutes for Christian baptism, and I could 
never consent to any basis of union that would regard 
'them as being equally valid with the baptism author- 
ized by the New Testament, and I supposed that those 
who practiced such substitutes would not consent to 
any basis that would not tolerate them. For that 
reason, I considered organic union an impossibility ; 
but I must confess, Mr. Chairman, that the stand taken 
by Bros. Logan and Clark has wrought a change in my 
mind regarding the matter." 

Bro. Logan: "I am glad, Bro. Mason, in being 
instrumental in producing some change in your mind 
regarding this subject. I, too, had an opinion as to 
what was going to be the greatest hindrance in the 
way of our union, and that was that spirit of denomi- 
national prejudice which causes people to turn away 
from the plain teaching of Christ and His apostles 

184 



AFFUSION 



whenever their teaching comes into conflict with the 
teaching and practice of the church to which they 
belong, and in some of your former speeches I thought 
I saw evidences of that spirit, which seemed to render 
you both blind and deaf to the plain teaching of God's 
word in your zeal to uphold the teaching and practice 
of the Baptist Church. However, your last speech has 
given me hope that the spirit of denominational preju- 
dice is not so deep-seated as I had thought." 

"I admit, Bro. Logan, that my speeches have been 
rather Baptistic, but I am not willing to admit they 
were so because of denominational prejudice. I abhor 
such prejudice as much as any one, and try to steer 
clear of it. Still, I know it is possible for a person 
to be affected with some diseases without knowing it, 
and that may be the case with me; but I assure you I 
have no desire, nor intention, of ever becoming so 
affected with denominational prejudice as to lose sight 
of the plain teaching of God's word in my efforts to 
uphold Baptist theology. And, though I came into this 
conference with but little, or, to speak more correctly, 
with no, faith in the undertaking, yet I am free to 
admit I now have some, and I pledge you my word 
and honor, brethren, that I am ready to make every 
concession the word of God will admit in order to make 
the undertaking a success." 

There was a ripple of applause and many hearty 
''Amens" as Bro. Mason was taking his seat, after 
which Mr. Sims arose and said: 

''Mr. Chairman, now that Bro. Mason is with us, 
what use is there for further delay? Why not go to 

185 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

work at once pulling down these old structures, as has 
been suggested, and out of the material then at our 
command proceed to build up the magnificent structure 
we all have in mind? To this end, I move you, Mr. 
Chairman, that we adjourn to meet at our respective 
places of worship to-morrow evening, that each church 
may discuss the matter among themselves/' 

The motion, duly seconded, was submitted and car- 
ried. 

Mr. Middleton: "Mr. Chairman, as the members 
of the Christian Church have no house of worship, I 
shall be pleased to have them meet in my home. * ' 



186 



CHAPTER XVII. 
EACH CHURCH DISCUSSES THE MATTER 

TUESDAY was a busy day for the people of Alpha. 
At nine o'clock a number of the business men of 
the town met in the directors' room at the bank. At 
this meeting four men were chosen as delegates, one 
of whom was to represent the business men in each 
of the meetings to be held in the several churches. 

At two 'clock the * people began to move toward 
the creek. At three o'clock several hundred people had 
gathered upon the banks of the little stream, already 
held sacred in the memory of many, and destined to 
become sacred in the memory of many more of the 
inhabitants of the town and country surrounding as 
the place where they had formally dedicated their lives 
to the service of God and his Son Jesus Christ. Never 
before had such a throng gathered there to witness a 
baptismal service, for the reason, perhaps, that never 
before had they all felt so common an interest in such 
a service. Hitherto their interest in such services had 
been restrained somewhat by denominational ties; but 
now that those ties had been, at least partially, severed 
by the developments of the past few weeks, they could 
no longer restrain. It was soul-inspiring to see them 
and to hear them as, with uncovered heads, they stood 

187 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

upon the banks of that placid stream, and sang those 
old, familiar lines: 

"Am I a soldier of the cross, 
• A follower of the Lamb, 
And shall I fear to own His cause. 
Or blush to speak His name? 

"Must I be carried to the skies 
On flowery beds of ease, 
While others fought to win the prize, 
Or sailed through bloody seas?" 

And then, with an earnestness indicating complete 
submission and a willingness to spend and be spent in 
the service of their one common Lord, they burst forth: 

* ' Sure I must fight, if I would reign ; 
Increase my courage, Lord; 
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, 
Supported by Thy word. ' ' 

When the song was finished, Bro. Birch led in 
prayer, after which Bro. Clark spoke as follows: 

'* Friends, we have met here to-day under circum- 
stances a little unusual. Twenty-five years ago I de- 
cided to dedicate my life to the service of Christ. 
When the question of baptism confronted me, I chose 
immersion, because, to my mind, that was more in 
accord with the teaching and practice of the early 
church. However, the church with which I united 
recognized sprinkling as equally valid with immersion, 
and after I began preaching, in conformity with the 
rules of the church, I sprinkled those who desired to 
be baptized in that way. Recent investigation, how- 
ever, has convinced me that denominationalism is 
wrong, and that Christ meant His church to be a unit. 
That investigation has also convinced me that the 

188 



EACH CHURCH DISCUSSES THE MATTER 

diverse modes of baptism now being practiced is one 
of the barriers in the way of the union of the people 
of God, and I am resolved to henceforth teach and 
practice the 'one baptism' taught and practiced by the 
early church, to the end that my teaching and practice 
be no longer a hindrance to the union of G-od's people. 
As authority for such practice, let me read a few pas- 
sages from God's word: 

" 'And they went down into the water, both Philip 
and the eunuch, and he baptized him' (Acts 8: 38). 

" 'Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
into death, that like as Christ was raised up from 
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also 
should walk in newness of life' (Rom. 6:4). 

" 'Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye 
are risen with him through the faith of the operation 
^of God, who hath raised him from the dead' (Col. 
2:12). 

"Such, friends, is the authority which God's word 
furnishes us for that we are about to do. And now if 
Miss Drew will step to the front, we will proceed to 
follow the example of those men of old, and thus settle 
forever the question of her baptism." 

When Evelyn Drew stepped out from the crowd, 
she was accompanied by two others — Emogene Hale 
and Eva Jones — both of whom requested to be baptized. 
Emogene united with the church the same day that 
Evelyn did, but Eva had been a member for several 
years. At the time of her union with the church she 
had requested to be immersed, but the preacher then in 
charge so bitterly objected that she finally consented 

189 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

to be sprinkled. These facts she had made known to 
Bro. Clark, who, turning to the audience, said: 
"Friends, I have sprinkled a great many persons at 
their request, but never have I tried to dissuade a 
single person who came to me requesting immersion. 
Here is a young lady. Sister Eva Jones, who has been 
a member of our church for a number of years. She 
tells me she requested to be immersed at the time she 
united with the church, but the preacher then in charge 
persuaded her to be sprinkled, and she now accepts this 
opportunity of obeying her Lord in what she considers 
His appointed way. It may be that there are others 
here desirous of so doing. If so, I shall be pleased 
to have you indicate it by stepping to the front and 
taking your stand with these." 

The first to respond was Mr. Combs, the editor, 
who was followed by his wife and two children, all of 
whom were members of the Presbyterian Church. Next 
came the Wade family, six in number, also Presby- 
terians. Following them came Mrs. Lane. 

Profound silence reigned throughout the great audi- 
ence as one after another of these were led down into 
the water and there buried with their Lord in baptism. 
When the last had been led forth from the water, Bro. 
Logan pronounced the benediction. 

There was a full attendance of the members at the 
several churches in the evening. Each was formally 
opened with singing and prayer, after which they pro- 
ceeded to elect a chairman and secretary. 

After a few brief remarks by the chairman, they 
asked for a general expression of views as to the devel- 

190 



EACH CHURCH DISCUSSES THE MATTER 

opments of the last few days. To this the people 
responded with alacrity. Many who had not com- 
mitted themselves in the larger meetings, feeling less 
restraint among their own brethren, spoke freely of 
the advantages or disadvantages of union, as they 
happened to see it. But by far the majority of those 
who spoke expressed themselves as heartily in favor 
of union in all save the Brethren Church. There the 
speakers seemed about equally divided. At the Pres- 
byterian Church there was not a single one who 
opposed it, and the same was true of those who com- 
posed the Christian Church. At the Baptist Church 
two or three spoke against it, one of them designating 
it as a 'wildcat scheme,' with which he proposed having 
nothing to do. At the Methodist Church there were 
two who seemed to be wavering in the balances, not 
knowing whether to approve or oppose. 

When the speechmaking was over at the Baptist 
Church, Mr. Jones arose and said : "I move you, Mr. 
Chairman, that, as a body, this church unite with their 
brethren of the other churches of the town to organize 
a local congregation to be known as 'The Church of 
Christ at Alpha,' said congregation to recognize the 
Bible, and it alone, as its rule of faith and practice; 
and that the trustees of this building be authorized to 
turn over the same to the trustees of said union con- 
gregation, to be used by them, in whatever way they 
may choose, toward building a church-house that will 
be adequate to the needs of the new congregation." 

Mr. Phelps: "Mr. Chairman, I am opposed to the 
brother's motion. As already stated, I consider this 

13 191 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

nothing but a wildcat scheme which has been hatched 
out among us, and one from which no good will ever 
come. As a member of this congregation, I own part 
interest in this house, and I object to disposing of it 
in the way suggested in the motion. If Bro. Jones 
wishes to unite with them, let him do it, but let him 
leave the house alone." 

"That's just what I say," chimed in old Bro. 
Barlow, who, for years, had been nothing but a figure- 
head in the congregation. 

Mr. Sims: "I am in favor, Mr. Chairman, of Bro. 
Jones, and as many others as care to do so, taking 
the brother's advice, so far as uniting with this union 
movement is concerned ; but I am not in favor of leav- 
ing the house to him and Bro. Barlow. We haven't 
joined the union movement yet. We are still members 
of the congregation, and we don't propose to leave it 
until all matters of business have been properly ad- 
justed. And, inasmuch as the former motion received 
no second, I move you, Mr. Chairman, that our trustees 
be authorized to sell this building at the price listed 
in our last report to our district association, and the 
trustees be authorized to pay to as many of the mem- 
bers of this congregation as request it their proportion- 
ate share of the proceeds of such sale, and to turn the 
balance over to the trustees of the new organization." 

Mr. Lawson : "I second the motion. ' ' 

Mr. Barlow: "Mr. Chairman, I second the first 
motion." 

Chairman: "You are too late with your second, 
Bro. Barlow. There is a motion, duly seconded, before 

192 



EACH CHURCH DISCUSSES THE MATTER 

the house. Brethren, you have heard the motion. 
What is your pleasure? Are you ready for the ques- 
tion?" 

"We are ready for the question/' shouted a voice 
from the rear of the building. 

Chairman: ''As many as favor the motion, please 
rise to your feet." 

All save five or six persons arose. 

Chairman: '*As many as oppose the motion, please 
stand. " 

Messrs. Phelps and Barlow arose, but when they 
saw the others, who remained seated when the former 
vote was taken, were not going to stand, they resumed 
their seats without an indication from the Chair. 

Chairman: ''Brethren, the motion has been adopted 
by an almost unanimous vote. What is your further 
pleasure ? ' ' 

Mr. Phelps: "Mr. Chairman, I just wish to say 
that I consider the motion just adopted a harmless 
one, for I think you will search a long while before 
you find any one who cares to invest in a church build- 
ing, if I'm any judge.'.' 

Mr. Blair (who was one of the delegates appointed 
at the business men's meeting) : "I would like to ask, 
Mr. Chairman, at what figures your church building 
was listed in the report referred to in the motion?" 

Chairman: "If I mistake not, Mr. Blair, it was 
$2,500." 

Mr. Blair: "Then I will take the building at that 
price, and will meet the trustees at the bank to-morrow 
morning at nine o'clock to transfer the title." 

193 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

Mr. Jones: *^Mr. Cliairinan, as one of the trustees, 
I will say to those who are in a hurry to get their 
apportionment from the sale of this property that, if 
they will meet us at the bank to-morrow just after the 
noon hour, they shall have the apportionment due 
them." 

At the Methodist Church there were two who re- 
mained seated when the vote was taken on the subject 
of union, and when the question of disposing of the 
church property was raised, one of these called atten- 
tion to the fact that it was not within the power of 
the local congregation to dispose of the church prop- 
erty, as the title was vested in conference. 

''Then,'' said the chairman, '*we will simply leave 
it for conference to dispose of." 

At the Presbyterian Church there was no opposi- 
tion. The trustees, by unanimous vote, were instructed 
to transfer the church property to the trustees of the 
united church, provided it was found that a majority 
of the churches of the town favored such a union. 

Those who composed the Christian Church had no 
property to dispose of, but were unanimous in favor 
of the proposed union. 

At the Brethren Church the sailing was not so 
smooth. Quite a number were found to oppose it. 
Yet, when the vote was taken, a majority were on the 
side of union, but, because of the large minority who 
opposed it, it was thought best to continue their own 
organization. 



194 



CHAPTER XVIII. 
FOUR CHURCHES AGREE TO UNITE 

IN compliance with, his request, the trustees of th.e 
Baptist Church met Mr. Blair at the bank the fol- 
lowing morning and transferred to him title to the 
church building and grounds, receiving his check in 
payment. In th.e afternoon seven of the members 
appeared before the trustees and demanded their part 
of the proceeds of the sale, which was given them. At 
eight o'clock the people again assembled at the amphi- 
theater. 

''I feel," said the chairman, "this should be very 
largely a service of thanksgiving, and, to this end, let 
us have a number of voluntary prayers, thanking God 
for the progress already made and asking Him for 
further guidance." 

When the season of prayer had ended, the chair- 
man spoke as follows: 

"In the midst of our rejoicing we find one cause 
for regret, and that is that those who compose the 
Brethren Church haven't seen their way clear to unite 
with us in our efforts to return to the unity of the 
faith and practice of the early followers of Christ. 
I trust, however, they may yet see their way clear to 
do so. For the benefit of those who, perchance, haven't 

195 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

heard tlie result of tlie several meetings held last eve- 
ning, I will say that, with but very few exceptions, the 
people composing the Baptist and Methodist Churches 
were heartily in favor of union. At the Presbyterian 
and Christian Churches the vote was unanimous for 
union. As already stated, the members of the Breth- 
ren Church have decided to retain their own separate 
organization. It is only fair, however, to state that a 
majority of their members voted in favor of union; 
but, because of the large minority who opposed, it was 
thought best to remain a separate body.'* 

Mr. Sullivan : * ' It is only fair also, Mr. Chairman, 
to state that a very large minority were opposed to the 
majority yielding that point, and I happened to be 
one of that minority. I admire that spirit of liberality 
which makes a majority willing to yield to the minority 
for the sake of peace and harmony, when such can 
be done without conflicting with the expressed will of 
Christ. But when it comes to the majority, or even 
the minority, yielding up something which Christ 
has enjoined, then it becomes both the privilege and 
duty of individuals to choose the stand they shall 
take. I therefore publicly announce my intention of 
taking my stand with those of Christ's followers who 
are endeavoring to bring about a state of union among 
His followers, in harmony with His will, as expressed 
in the prayer which He offered just before His death. 
And, in justification of my stand, I will say that it 
has been clearly demonstrated to my mind during these 
meetings that denominationalism is wrong, and that 
the barriers which stand in the Way of union; when 

196 



FOUR CHURCHES AGREE TO UNITE 

reduced to their last analysis, are only matters of 
mere human opinion. One of the arguments advanced 
in our meeting last night was that *if we gave up 
our organization, we would have to give up the prac- 
tice of '' foot- washing. " ' I would like to ask the 
brother who made that statement why we would have 
to give up that practice?*' 

Mr. Ames : ' ' Simply because the people with whom 
we would unite do not believe in such a practice." 

''May I ask, Bro. Ames, if there are any members 
of our church to whom you would refuse a letter of 
commendation were they to ask for it?" 

"No, sir; I consider all our members in good stand- 
ing, and would not hesitate to grant them letters." 

''And yet you are aware we have some members 
who do not believe in the practice of 'foot-washing' as 
a church ordinance. After returning to our home last 
night, my wife and I counted twelve whom we had 
heard express themselves as not believing in the prac- 
tice." 

Mr. Raines: "Your figures are too low, Bro. Sulli- 
van; I know of seventeen myself, and ten of them 
haven't attended a 'foot-washing' service for five con- 
secutive years." 

Mr. Sullivan: "You say, Bro. Ames, that if we 
were to unite with these brethren, we would have to 
give up the practice of ' foot- washing, ' because the 
brethren with whom we would unite do not believe in 
it, and yet, according to Bro. Raines, we have seven- 
teen in our church who do not believe in it; and these, 
according to your own statement, are members in good 

197 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

standing. Now, if these seventeen who do not believe 
in 'foot- washing' as a church ordinance can belong 
to the same church with sixty-eight others who do, and 
be members with them in good standing, can you give 
any good reason why a hundred, or two hundred, or 
any number of non-believers in such a practice, may 
not belong to the same church with these sixty-eight, 
and all be members in good standing?" 

''In that case the non-believers in the practice 
would be in the majority, and could do away with the 
practice." 

"The majority doesn't always try to force the 
minority to conform to their opinions. We have in 
all our churches a very small minority who think they 
ought to meet together in mid-week for prayer and 
praise. By far the majority doesn't think it neces- 
sary, and yet they do not try to prevent the few 
meeting in such a service. And it is my candid 
opinion that, if we were to unite with these brethren, 
and a number of us should feel that we ought to meet 
together some time during the year for the purpose 
of washing one another's feet, no word of protest 
would be uttered by these brethren." 

Bro. Birch: "I think, brethren, that Bro. Sullivan 
is quite right in that statement. At least, so far as 
I am individually concerned, those brethren could 
wash one another's feet as often as they pleased, pro- 
vided they didn't try to interfere with certain duties 
which I owe to my Lord; as, for instance, the duty 
of commemorating His death and suffering at the 
Lord's table. That privilege I hold most sacred, and 

198 



FOUR CHURCHES AGREE TO UNITE 

1 would seriously question the right of any one to 
place restrictions about the Lord's table that even the 
apostles did not see fit to place there. There is noth- 
ing in the New Testament to indicate that the apostles, 
in their ministrations, ever connected 'foot- washing' 
with the Lord's Supper by making the former a pre- 
requisite to the latter. My most serious objection is 
not to the practice itself, but to the unapostolic con- 
nection which has been established between it and 
the Lord's Supper. We have just learned from one 
of your own members that ten of your own brethren 
have absented themselves from the Lord's table for 
five consecutive years, presumably because, to approach 
it, they would have to pass through the ordeal of 
'foot- washing' as a church ordinance, something the 
apostles never required of any one, and something they 
themselves did not believe was required of them. As 
I see it, then, the only thing necessary to remove all 
objections to the practice of 'foot-washing' by those 
who desire to practice it would be to sever the connec- 
tion which you have established between it and the 
Lord's Supper, and let the latter occupy in the church 
to-day the position it occupied in the days of the apos- 
tles; viz., a weekly reminder of our suffering Saviour, 
and a service to be participated in, without let or 
hindrance, by all those who, having examined them- 
selves, desire so to do. There is no room to doubt 
that the Lord's Supper was intended to be a per- 
petual ordinance in the church, but there is ample 
room to doubt that 'foot-washing' was ever so in- 
tended. To my mind, the strongest evidence that it 

199 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

was not is found in the fact that the apostles nowhere 
taught or practiced it. Certainly, if Christ intended 
it to be a perpetual ordinance in His church, the apos- 
tles would have known it, and, if they knew it, they 
certainly omitted a part of their duty in failing to 
instruct us in regard to it." 

Chairman: ''I think Bro. Birch quite right in that 
statement. It was the apostles, guided by the Divine 
Spirit, whom Christ entrusted with the work of organ- 
izing His church and setting in order the things 
necessary for the work it was to do in the world, and, 
if Christ had intended 'foot- washing' to be one of 
the ordinances of His church, certainly the apostles 
would have left some instructions to that end, at least 
made some allusion to its practice, as such, in the early 
church. But, in the absence of any such allusion, or 
of apostolic command, we feel unauthorized in making 
it a test of fellowship in the church. We can not do 
better, brethren, than to imitate the early disciples in 
recognizing the inspired apostles as our authority in all 
matters of church government and Christian conduct, 
for, as Bro. Birch has said, 'the apostles, guided as 
they were by the Divine Spirit, were better equipped 
to interpret for us the meaning of Christ's utterances 
than are any of the uninspired men of to-day.' And 
now, in order that we may ascertain how many there 
are in the audience who are willing to take their stand 
with us in this effort which we are making to unite the 
people of God, so far as our town and community are 
concerned, a number of the brethren will now pass 
through the audience and leave with each person a 

200 



FOUR CHURCHES AGREE TO UNITE 

small card, upon whicli all Christians desiring to enter 
into ttds union will please write their names. You will 
find a small pencil attached to each card." 

"When the enrollment was finished, it was found that 
460 persons had handed in their names. 

Mr. Blair: ''Mr. Chairman, as you are aware, I 
have never been a member of any church. Not that 
I am an unbeliever, for I doubt if there is a person 
here to-night with a stronger faith in the divinity of 
Jesus of Nazareth, or in the all-sufficiency of the 
church which He organized to meet the needs of hu- 
manity, than I. But I am only one of thousands of 
men who have become disgusted with the farce men 
have made of the church and of the Christian religion. 
It always was a disgusting sight to me to see all the 
way from two to a half-dozen little groups in the 
same little village on Sunday morning wending their 
way to as many different places of worship, when it 
would have taken them all combined to have made one 
respectable audience. And the sight was made even 
more disgusting to me by a consciousness of the fact 
that the highest authority they had for many of their 
doctrines and practices was the ruling of some church 
council or the edict of some uninspired man. Since I 
have been old enough to think for myself, I have never 
had any faith in a divided church to meet the needs of 
humanity, and that lack of faith has kept me out of 
the church up to this time. However, as you are now 
making what I conceive to be an honest and determined 
effort to extricate the church from the coils of denomi- 
nationalism, I feel that I no longer have excuse for 

201 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

standing aloof, and now declare unto you my readiness 
to take my stand with you upon the Bible, and it alone, 
as our rule of faith and practice, and to render all the 
aid within my power to make the church of Christ at 
Alpha a worthy successor of the Jerusalem church, of 
which it was said that 'the multitude of them that 
believed were of one heart and one soul.' " 

Bro. Birch: "Brethren, the success of this under- 
taking is already assured. If we accomplish nothing 
more, the removing of the barrier that stood between 
this man and the church of Christ is in itself sufficient 
to justify us for the labor expended. However, I am 
persuaded that Mr. Blair is not the only one who has 
been standing aloof from the church because of our 
unscriptural divisions, but who are now ready to take 
their stand with us. I would suggest, therefore, that 
all who are willing to make such a surrender of them- 
selves to Christ and His cause as the New Testament 
requires come to the front." 

The rising of Mr. Blair to respond to this request 
was only the signal for many more to follow. Without 
even the inspiration of a song, twenty-five men and 
ten women responded. These all, in response to the 
question asked them, publicly confessed their faith in 
Christ and declared their willingness to let His word 
govern their conduct. 

Mr. Sims: "Mr. Chairman, I move that we now 
adjourn to meet again to-morrow evening, for the pur- 
pose of effecting an organization and attending to such 
other business as may come before us." 

202 



FOUR CHURCHES AGREE TO UNITE 

The motion, duly seconded, was submitted and 
carried. 

Chairman: *' Before we adjourn, let me say that T 
am requested to announce that, at three o'clock to- 
morrow afternoon, we will meet at the accustomed 
place to attend the ordinance of baptism." 

The meeting was adjourned with prayer by Bro. 
Mason. 



203 



CHAPTER XIX. 
THE ORGANIZATION 

PROMPTLY at three o'clock of the following after- 
noon an even larger audience than on the previous 
occasion assembled upon the banks of the little stream 
that ran near the town. Besides the thirty-five who 
made the confession the evening before, there were 
fifty others baptized. The greater part of these had 
handed in their names the evening before as pros- 
pective members of the new organization, but, having 
only been sprinkled, they chose this opportunity of con- 
forming to the ''one baptism" taught in the New 
Testament, and which was to be the future practice of 
the church of Christ at Alpha. 

The evening session at the amphitheater was largely 
of a business nature. After a season of song and 
prayer, the chairman said: 

''In accord with the action of the meeting last 
evening, we will now proceed to the work of organiza- 
tion. Our 'Guide Book' teaches us that, in the days 
of the apostles, each local congregation of the church 
of Christ was supplied with a plurality of elders and 
deacons, the elders to look after the spiritual and the 
deacons the temporal needs of the congregation, the 
number necessary depending upon the size of the con- 

204 



THE ORGANIZATION 



gregation. What is now your pleasure, brethren, with 
respect to the selection of these several officers?" 

Mr. Middleton: "I move, Mr. Chairman, that a 
committee, composed of our several pastors, be ap- 
pointed to submit to us the names of such persons 
as in their judgment would be suited for these offices, 
and also one each for clerk and treasurer." 

The motion, when seconded, was submitted and 
carried. 

Bro. Clark: "Mr. Chairman, having imposed this 
duty upon us, we would be pleased to have the brethren 
indicate to us the number of names they desire us to 
submit for elders and also for deacons." 

Mr. Sims: ''Mr. Chairman, I would suggest seven 
for elders and double that number for deacons." 

Chairman: ''Unless some one objects, we will let 
this suggestion of Bro. Sims stand ; and, while these 
brethren are arranging their list, we will take up any 
other matter of business you desire to bring before the 
meeting. ' ' 

Mr. Wade: "While our preachers are engaged with 
the work assigned them, I would suggest we discuss the 
subject of pastoral service for our new congregation. 
The merging of four churches and a part of the fifth 
into one has left us with a surplus of preachers on our 
hands, and what to do with them is one of the ques- 
tions which now confront us." 

Mr. Sims: "At a Bible-school convention, held in 
our town last fall, it was shown by one of the field 
workers that there are several localities within the 
borders of our county where evangelistic services are 

205 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

greatly needed. The people living in those localities 
are not within reach of any church, and, consequently, 
are without church privileges. It is not their choice 
to so live. Several times they have appealed to us to 
send them a preacher to make known to them the way 
of life, but the answer has always been, 'Our preach- 
ers are all engaged, and we can jiot spare them.' In 
our divided state we have had to use from two to three 
preachers here in our town each Sunday. But, now 
that we have united, it will be possible for us to build 
up these waste places in our county, and with no more 
cost to us than we have hitherto borne. My plan would 
be for this, as the mother church of the county, to 
retain the services of these four preachers at the same 
salary we have been paying them (we will be just as 
able to pay them now as before), and let them minister 
to us here and to the people in these neglected districts 
of our county. I would at least favor such an arrange- 
ment for the remainder of the year. Perhaps then 
we could make other and better arrangements." 

Mr. Majors: ''Although not a citizen of your town, 
Mr. Chairman, yet, with your permission, I would be 
pleased to speak a word just here." 

"We shall be pleased to hear you, Mr. Majors." 
"I happen to be a resident of one of those neg- 
lected districts to which Bro. Sims referred a few 
moments ago. Our nearest church is eight miles away. 
There is ample room in our community for a church 
without in the least interfering with any other church, 
and our people want one. We want one that we can 
all belong to. We don't want some little denomina- 

206 



THE ORGANIZATION 



tional organization that only about one out of every 
half-dozen of our people could belong to without hav- 
ing to do something our consciences would condemn us 
for. We want a church that will - recognize Christ as 
its head and His word as its rule of conduct. A 
church that requires of men as much, but no more, and 
as little, but fully as much, as the inspired apostles 
required of men in their day. For the establishment 
of such a church as that in our community I feel con- 
fident, Mr. Chairman, our people would gladly pay 
all cost. So that the man whom you send down there, 
while still in your employ, and looking to you for his 
pay, would be able to replace in your treasury every 
dollar his services have cost you." 

Mr. Middleton : * ' I feel confident, Mr. Chairman, 
that statement of Mr. Majors will be proved true by 
the people of the community in which he lives. I feel 
confident also that the cost of sustaining the work in 
the other fields mentioned is not going to overburden 
us. I move you, therefore, that the services of all our 
pastors be retained the remainder of the year." 

The motion was sustained by an overwhelming ma- 
jority. 

The preachers having returned, Bro. Logan read 
aloud their report as follows: "We, your committee, 
beg leave to submit as follows: For elders, Lane, Mid- 
dleton, Sims, Combs, Sullivan, Jones and Wade. For 
deacons, Drew, Potter, Hale, Davis, Simpson, Dyer, 
Berger, Grooms, Lowry, Perkins, Woodson, Scott, An- 
drews and Murphy. For clerk, Gertrude Lane. For 
treasurer, Blair." 

14 207 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

The recommendations were nnanimoTisly adopted by 
the congregation, and the persons named were declared 
elected. 

Mr. Blair: "Mr. Chairman, we are now a congre- 
gation, numbering upward of five hundred souls, and, 
while we have two church-houses at our command, yet 
we are practically without a religious home, for neither 
of the houses is capable of accommodating our mem- 
bers, to say nothing of our neighbors and friends whom 
we expect to meet with us from time to time. The 
first problem, therefore, that confronts us is that of 
providing us a suitable church home. I move you, 
therefore, that a building committee of seven men be 
appointed by the Chair, who shall at once secure plans 
and estimates of the cost of construction of such a 
building as, in their estimation, will meet the needs 
of the congregation, and submit the same for approval 
at the earliest possible date ; and, when plan is ap- 
proved, said committee shall have charge of all the 
work connected with the gathering of funds and build- 
ing the house." 

The motion, duly seconded, was submitted and 
carried. 

Mr. Middleton : ''Mr. Chairman, in anticipation of 
their services being needed in a legal way, I move that 
a board of trustees, consisting of three members, be 
appointed, and that our chairman be one of the three." 

This motion was seconded, submitted and carried, 
and the following were appointed : For building, Messrs. 
Blair, Wade, Combs, Hughes, Sullivan and Middleton. 
For trustees, Messrs. Lane, Sims and Watson. 

208 



THE ORGANIZATION 



Chairman: "What is now your further pleasure, 
brethren ? ' ' 

Mr. Watson: *'I move that we do now adjourn, 
subject to the call of the chairman to hear the report 
of the building committee." 

The motion carried, after which the chairman an- 
nounced that regular preaching services would be held 
at the amphitheater each Lord's Day until further 
notice. The benediction was pronounced by Bro. Clark. 

It was during the balmy days of the early part of 
the month of June that the great meetings were held 
which resulted in the union of four of the churches 
in the little town of Alpha. The reader is now car- 
ried forward to the latter half of the month of No- 
vember. 

For five months these brethren have been worship- 
ing at the same altar, listening to the same preacher 
and sitting at the same table in communion with their 
one common Lord. To say that they were happy, only 
feebly expresses the real truth. They were enraptured, 
thrilled with sensations of felicity and bliss, all grow- 
ing out of a consciousness of having done something of 
real worth for the cause of Christ and humanity. For, 
instead of having four men preach to them, in as many 
different groups, during the past five months, they 
had been content to all listen to the same preacher, 
while three others were representing them on the 
mission field, building up the waste places that had 
so long been neglected within the borders of their own 
county. And, as a result of their labors, one new 
church had been organized and two others were soon 

209 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

to be. Moreover, this additional work had all been 
accomplished without any additional financial burden 
upon the mother church. True to the prediction made 
by Mr. Majors, the people living in these several 
localities had gladly paid for all the service that had 
been rendered them. This, however, was not all the 
good these people, now numbering .learly six hundred, 
had been able to accomplish during the past five 
months. 

At the suggestion of the deacons, a charity fund 
had been created. The nucleus of this fund was 
a $500 subscription from Mr. Blair, but several 
hundred more had been added since the fund was 
started. 

"The object of this fund,*^ explained Mr. Drew, 
the day he made the appeal for its establishment, ''is 
to enable us to meet our obligations to the poor. We 
have in our congregation no less than six families that 
need a little help. As an example, take the case of 
Sister McCormick, whose husband died last winter, 
leaving her with four smaU children to support, and 
nothing to do it with but her sewing-machine and 
needle. 

**Take also the case of old Sister Gibson. It is 
true she has only one child to support, but we all know 
how she has worked and slaved at the washtub, from 
early morning until late at night, through hot and 
through cold, in order that she might give he;* daughter 
the benefit of an education such as our public schools 
were capable of offering her. We know also how the 
daughter, in appreciation of the sacrifice the mother 

210 



THE ORGANIZATION 



was making for her, denied herself many of tlie inno- 
cent pleasures of life, in order the sooner to finish. 
her school- work and secure a position that would 
enable her to lift some of the burdens from the 
mother's shoulders. Brethren, this young lady, a sister 
in our church, who stood at the head of the graduating 
class in our school last spring, could, I am told by 
Bro. Middleton, have a position in the bank that would 
pay her a salary which would insure a support for 
her and her mother, if only she had a few months' 
training in some business college. And, as I see it, 
it is the duty of the church, in a case so worthy as 
hers, to see that she has such training." 

It was at the close of these remarks of Mr. Drew 
that Mr. Blair arose and started the charity fund with 
a subscription of $500, and within a very few minutes 
several hundred more were added to the fund, and 
Clara Gibson was sent over to the county-seat to re- 
ceive the training necessary to secure for her a position 
that would bring a ray of sunshine into her hitherto 
poverty-stricken home. Mrs. McCormick was relieved 
of the necessity of paying out $5 of her hard-earned 
money each month for house rent. To one of her 
neighbors she said, after the church had paid her 
second month's rent: "I am sure, Mrs. Brown, you 
have no idea what a relief it has been to me to have 
the church do this. Many a sleepless night I have 
spent wondering where the money was to come from 
to pay the rent and meet all my other obligations. 
But now that the church has relieved me of the rent 
problem, I feel that I can get along nicely." 

211 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

These and other worthy cases had been helped by 
the church since the creation of the "Charity Fund," 
and the work had been so gratifying that the church 
had resolved never to be without such a fund. Indeed, 
several of the brethren, who carried insurance against 
future want, permitted their policies to lapse and 
turned the fees into the "Charity Fund" of the 
church, declaring that they coveted no better insurance 
against future want in this life, either for themselves 
or their families, than the tender ministries of six 
hundred men and women filled with the spirit of the 
Man of Galilee. 

Another line of work had also received special atten- 
tion since the four churches had united, and that was 
the work of caring for the sick. Under the super- 
vision of Mr. Hale, whom the deacons had chosen for 
that work, efficient aid had been rendered every family 
that had been visited by sickness during the past five 
months. When it was made known to the congregation 
that Mr. Hale would have charge of that work, more 
than fifty persons gave him their names, with permis- 
sion to call on them whenever such services were 
needed. 

Still another forward step was taken when, under 
the supervision of Bro. Logan, the old Presbyterian 
church was converted into a free reading-room and 
circulating library, as well as a place for the social 
gatherings of the young people. Out of nearly two 
hundred homes of the town and community surround- 
ing were gathered over a thousand volumes of books, 
covering subjects social, moral, political, commercial 

212 



THE ORGANIZATION 



and religious. A knowledge of the contents of these 
books was considered necessary in order to the round- 
ing out of the lives and character of the young people 
of the town and community surrounding, and in this 
way they sought to bring them within reach of all. 

But still another work had been pushed to a happy 
consummation; viz., the work of providing the con- 
gregation with a suitable house of worship. 

In harmony with the instructions they had received 
from the congregation, the building committee had 
gone forward with their work, first submitting to the 
congregation several plans which they had secured, 
any of which would have been adequate to the de- 
mands of the congregation; but the plan approved was 
one that utilized the Baptist Church as a part of the 
new building. The architect argued that, ''as the 
walls of the building were all in good shape, and built 
of the same kind of brick that was contemplated being 
used in the new structure, and occupied the approved 
site, that, therefore, there was no reason why the 
building could not be utilized to advantage in the 
construction of the new edifice." Accordingly, the 
congregation approved this plan, and Mr. Blair trans- 
ferred the building and grounds to the trustees as his 
contribution to the new structure. 

The committee then went to work in earnest, gath- 
ering funds, buying material and employing workmen, 
who, for five months, were kept busily engaged upon 
a structure which was to be the religious home of 
the people of the town and of the community sur- 
rounding. 

213 



HOW CHRISTL4N UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

It was just two days before the day set apart for 
the national Thanksgiving that the workmen completed 
their task. The week before Mr. Combs' paper had 
contained a picture and description of the new struc- 
ture, together with the announcement that the first 
service would be held on Thanksgiving Day. 



214 



CHAPTER XX. 
THE DEDICATION 

THE day was a typical November day — a clear sky, 
but the temperature a bit cool, especially in the 
early morning. However, I am persuaded that neither 
rain, snow nor sleet would have kept the people away 
that day, for ever since it had been made known that 
the building would be completed before Thanksgiving 
the people had been looking forward to it with joyous 
anticipation. 

Ten o'clock was the hour set for the service to 
begin, but long before that hour the roads leading to 
the city were thronged with vehicles of all descrip- 
tions, loaded with people who were coming in to the 
service, some of whom had come from remote parts 
of the county. Every business house in the town was 
closed, and, with one accord, the people seemed to say, 
''Come, let us go up. to the house of the Lord." 

The house was built with a view to comfortably 
seating fifteen hundred people; but, by using chairs 
in the aisles and unoccupied spaces, it was possible 
to seat several hundred more, and to-day all this space 
was needed in order to seat the people. 

In arranging a program for the service, Mr. Lane 
was made master of ceremonies. This honor he 

215 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

attempted to decline, but the brethren said "No.'* 
*'No, Bro. Lane, it's your duty to preside. You re- 
member you were chosen as chairman of the meetings 
last summer, and this is only the concluding session of 
those meetings, and you must preside." 

"Very well, brethren, if you regard it my duty, I 
will do it," said Mr. Lane, as he arose from his seat 
on the rostrum, where he and the other elders and 
preachers had been assigned seats by the ushers. Step- 
ping to the front, he said: "Brethren, sisters and 
friends, I desire first of all that the entire audience 
join with the chorus in singing that old and ever-ap- 
propriate hymn beginning 'All hail the power of Jesus' 
name.' " 

Never before, in all the history of the town, had 
the singing of that old hymn so touched the hearts 
of the people as upon that occasion. But there was a 
reason for it. For five months those people had been 
thinking of Christ in a way different to that they had 
ever thought of Him before. Now, as never before, 
did they recognize Him as the sole and absolute head 
of the church, the Being before whom they should all 
stand in judgment and account for every sin, both of 
transgression and of omission of duty, according as 
their duty had been revealed unto them by the apostles 
chosen and inspired for that purpose. Hitherto the 
traditions of men and the mandates of church councils 
had been held by them in some measure of esteem and 
authority. But now they have turned away from these 
and are looking to Christ, and in their singing was 
clearly manifested a willingness on the part of all to 

216 



THE DEDICATION 



*' Bring forth, the royal diadem, 
And crown Him Lord of all." 

When the singing was done, Bro. Mason read 
a part of the fourth chapter of Acts, emphasizing 
the last few verses, wherein it is said, ''The multi- 
tude of them that believed were of one heart and one 
soul." 

After the Scripture reading, Bro. Logan was asked 
to lead in prayer. Then followed another soul-inspir- 
ing song, after which Bro. Birch read the President's 
proclamation. 

''It was," explained the chairman, *'the issuing 
of this proclamation by the chief executive of our 
country that caused us to select this day for the service 
in which we are now engaged. We felt that if any 
town or community of citizens throughout our land 
had cause for rendering thanks unto God, it was the 
people of this town and community. Little did we 
think last Thanksgiving Day, when about a half- 
hundred of our citizens assembled in the Baptist 
Church, now a mere annex of this magnificent build- 
ing, that the events of another year would make possi- 
ble such a gathering as this. It was not until I had 
heard that magnificent address delivered by Bro. Birch 
at the amphitheater last summer that I became fully 
convinced of the possibility of organic Christian union. 
You remember he said in that address that 'there was 
one single proposition to which, if we all subscribe, 
union would follow as an inevitable result,' and that 
proposition was the fact that 'Jesus is tJie CJirist, the 
Son of the living God.' Never before had I realized 

217 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

what mighty, revolutionary power was contained in 
that simple confession of faith in the Christ when made 
from the depths of a truly honest and penitent heart. 
It was while sitting there with bowed head that I 
became enrapt in a mental vision. In that vision I 
saw a magnificent building standing in the midst of 
our town, excelling in beauty every other building, for 
the people had said, 'It's the Lord's building, and 
must be second to none.' Then, in my reverie, I 
fancied I saw the people coming up to worship. From 
every part of the town and country surrounding they 
came, a great concourse of people, all animated by the 
same spirit and all breathing the same prayer, 'Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to dof 

"Brethren, that vision, if it may be called a vision, 
has well-nigh been made a reality to me to-day. Upon 
leaving my home this morning, I looked in this direc- 
tion, and said to myself: 'There stands the building, 
looking very much as I saw it in my imagination five 
months ago.' Looking about me, I said to myself 
again : ' There come the people. ' From every part of 
our town and the country surrounding they have 
come, until it is now my privilege to look into the faces 
of the greatest concourse of people ever assembled 
within our town. However, there is one feature of my 
vision that has not been fully realized. In my vision 
the people who came up to worship all recognized 
that building as their church home. This feature of 
my vision, I am sorry to say, has not been fully real- 
ized, for those of our brethren who compose what is 
known as the 'Brethren Church' have not seen their 

218 



THE DEDICATION 



way clear to unite with us, a fact wtich we regret 
very much.." 

At this juncture Bro. Powell, minister of the Breth- 
ren Church, arose and said: 

''If you will suffer an interruption, Mr. Chairman, 
I shall be pleased to make a statement just here." 

"We shall be pleased to hear you, Bro. Powell," 
responded Mr. Lane, cordially. 

''The statement I wish to make is regarding the 
action taken by my brethren at a meeting held in our 
church last Sunday evening. But, leading up to that 
action, I desire to say that both my brethren and I 
have watched the development of this movement with 
keenest interest. We have seen how four weak and 
struggling churches, by combining their strength, 
energy and means, have been able to reach out a 
helping hand to three of the neglected districts of our 
county, starting in each of them a work that is des- 
tined to make those communities contributors to the 
public weal and evangels of the world. 

"We have noted also the emphasis you are placing 
upon Bible-school work. In company with your archi- 
tect, a few days ago I made a tour of inspection 
through this magnificent building, and was deeply im- 
pressed with its completeness and adaptability to that 
particular work. 

"We have also noted the rich provision you are 
making for the development of the social nature of 
your children. Also their intellectual nature, by plac- 
ing within their reach such books as are calculated 
to broaden their minds and to better equip them for 

219 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

the duties that shall confront them in the great battle 
of life. 

"And last, but not least, we have noted your 
brotherly and sisterly ministrations to the sick and 
needy ones. As a people, we, too, believe in such a 
ministry, and have tried in a feeble way to practice it; 
but I am fully convinced, Mr. Chairman, that such 
work can never be done as effectually by a divided as 
by a united church. Take, for instance, the case of 
our Sister Gibson and her daughter, who, before this 
union movement began, were both members of our con- 
gregation. In conversation with the daughter shortly 
after her graduation last spring, she told me that she 
desired so much to be able to take a course in book- 
keeping, as she felt she would then be able to secure 
a position that would enable her to lighten the load 
of responsibility which her mother had borne so pa- 
tiently and long. But when, I brought the matter up 
in one of our business meetings, the brethren thought 
it too great an undertaking for our weak congregation. 
I was present, Mr. Chairman, the day Bro. Drew made 
his appeal for the establishment of your 'Charity 
Fund,' and when I saw the readiness with which your 
people responded to that appeal, raising within ten 
minutes the munificent sum of more than $900, I 
thought how true that old saying, 'In union there is 
strength.' I was at the station the day that young 
lady took the train for the county-seat, and witnessed 
the parting of mother and child. I shall never forget 
the scene. There were tears in the eyes of the mother 
as she bade her daughter good-by, but, in spite of 

220 



THE DEDICATION 



those tears, the face wore an expression of inexpress- 
ible joy. As I think of that scene, I am reminded of 
a statement made by one of our sisters at the Sunday 
night meeting to which I have referred. We were 
discussing the religious situation of our town. To be 
more explicit, I will say we were discussing the ques- 
tion of joining this union movement. Some of the 
practices, such as foot-washing, trine immersion, etc., 
had been discussed at length, when Sister Bowman 
arose and said: 

" 'Brethren and sisters, some new thoughts have 
come into my mind of late, and I must tell you of 
them. I know Paul told those Corinthian women to 
keep silent in the churches, but he also commended 
certain others for helping him in the Lord's work; 
and, as I am not going to try to preach you a sermon, 
but only to help the work along, I feel that Paul, at 
least, will excuse me for telling you that, of late, I 
have come to believe that there is more genuine re- 
ligion in extending a helping hand to some unfortunate 
brother or sister who, by misfortune, has been made 
helpless, than there is in the observance of some mere 
formality, which we are not certain Christ ever in- 
tended we should observe! 

*' 'It has fallen to my lot upon several occasions to 
wash the feet of Sister Gibson; but I have come to 
believe that John Drew washed her feet in a manner 
more acceptable to Christ than I had ever done when 
he made that appeal to the church which resulted in 
sending her daughter off to get the training necessary 
to lift the veil of poverty from their home. 

221 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 



•' 'It has been shown, brethren, that there is some 
room to doubt that Christ ever intended the church 
of to-day to practice foot-washing as one of its ordi- 
nances. The fact that the New Testament furnishes 
us no example of the apostles ever practicing it as 
such justifies such a doubt, but there is no room to 
doubt that He intended the church of to-day to help 
the widows and orphans in their afflictions; and if, 
by remaining a separate organization, in order to per- 
petuate the doubtful practice of foot-washing, we are 
rendering ourselves incapable of extending the neces- 
sary aid to those who are in distress, it is high time 
we were abandoning our separate organization and 
casting our mites into a common treasury with other 
of the Lord's people, that we might, at least, have 
some fellowship in such a work.' 

''To this statement of Sister Bowman, I will say, 
Mr. Chairman, we all agreed, and, by common consent, 
we are here to-day to join with you in this work 
and— *' 

The above sentence was never finished, for as soon 
as the announcement of their capitulation was made, 
the people took the floor, and seemingly, for several 
minutes, the building rang with applause after ap- 
plause. When, at last, the chairman had succeeded in 
restoring order, he said: 

"Brethren, we have succeeded in our undertaking 
even beyond our expectations, and I feel we can now 
enter heartily into a real Thanksgiving service. I 
suggest, therefore, that we now have a season of 
prayer, during which all who so desire may express 

222 



THE DEDICATION 



unto God the gratitude of their hearts for the success 
that has crowned our efforts, for the great blessings 
already received and for the even greater ones yet in 
store for us, as hand in hand we go forth to labor for 
our common Lord." 

When the season of prayer was ended, an invitation 
was extended to all who desired to speak a word. To 
this invitation quite a number responded, among them 
the several ministers. All expressed themselves as 
delighted with the new fellowship and larger service, 
into which they had entered as the result of their 
union. 

''Contrasting present conditions with the past,'^ 
said one of the speakers, "is enough to convince any 
unprejudiced mind that the step we have taken is a 
wise one. A few months ago five preachers were labor- 
ing here in this town, for as many separate organiza- 
tions, neither of which was capable of meeting the 
needs of the people, neither from the standpoint of 
Bible instruction nor from the standpoint of render- 
ing pecuniary aid to those in need. Proper equipment 
is just as necessary for our Bible schools, in order 
that they may do efficient work, as for our public 
schools. Who would think of discarding our present 
public-school building, with its various departments 
and equipment, for the antiquated building of years 
ago, consisting of a single room, into which were 
gathered children of all ages? And yet this latter 
represents the method which, until recently, we have 
employed in our Bible-school work. Into a single 
room we had gathered all we could induce to come, 

15 223 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

from the gray-haired grandfather and grandmother 
down to the tiny tot unable to read, while a corps of 
teachers, without even a blackboard to help them, were 
trying to lead them to a knowledge of the truth. But 
henceforth, friends, we shall apply the same common- 
sense and advanced methods to the conduct of our 
Bible school that, for years, we have applied to our 
public school. 

"But net only was the divided church a failure 
from the standpoint of Bible instruction, but, as 
already stated, it was also a failure from the stand- 
point of rendering pecuniary aid to those in need. 
Only last winter I was made to blush with shame when 
it was told me that one of our widowed sisters was 
forced to appeal to the town board for financial aid. 
Brethren, such as that ought not to occur, and I am 
persuaded will not occur again in this town. For, if 
I mistake not, it is the purpose of this church to see 
that none of its members suffers for the necessaries of 
life. I know there is some danger of the church being 
imposed upon in its ministrations of charity by those 
who are merely seeking the 'loaves and fishes,' but I 
was present, brethren, the night our board of deacons 
discussed this subject, prior to making their appeal for 
the establishment of a charity fund, and I know it is 
the purpose of the deacons to use all necessary pre- 
caution in the distribution of those funds. As one of 
them remarked last night, 'We shall simply put into 
practice the statement made by Paul, when he said, 
''If any will not work, neither shall he eat." ' As 
1 understand it, brethren, this fund is to help the 

224 



THE DEDICATION 



worthy poor, and not the unworthy. Just as our 
National Government stands pledged for the support of 
her disabled and honorably discharged soldiers, but 
disclaims any special obligations to the traitor or de- 
serter, so this church stands pledged for the support 
of every disabled loyal member, but disclaims any 
special obligation to those whose daily walk and con- 
versation shall prove them to be unworthy of such 
aid." 

''Compared with the many who enlisted for service 
during our late Civil War, the number of traitors and 
deserters was very small indeed," said the chairman, 
''and we confidently hope that, in this great brother- 
hood of ours, the number of such will be proportion- 
ately smaller. Yea, we trust that every one who has 
enlisted in this great warfare between right and wrong 
will 'acquit themselves like men.' But, whether all re- 
main loyal or not, one thing is certain, brethren : we 
can never get away from the obligation we are under 
to care for our comrades who fall wounded while in 
discharge of their duty. This is a work that has been 
greatly neglected, and, as a result, the church has 
failed to command the respect from men it would 
otherwise have commanded. But we are determined, 
friends, that this church shall not neglect her poor, 
nor any other work which the Lord has appointed for 
His church to do. And now, as this is the first service 
in our new building, I presume we may consider it the 
dedicatory service. However, one of the common fea- 
tures of such services will, in this case, be dispensed 
with — viz., that of raising money to meet the indebt- 

16 225 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

edness — for I am happy to announce that all our bills 
are paid in full, and a balance yet remains in the 
treasury. Still, as this is Thanksgiving Day, and a 
very appropriate season for such a work, I would 
suggest that we take a freewill offering, and that the 
proceeds be added to our charity fund.'* 

Judge Lampton: **I heartily approve of your sug- 
gestion, Bro. Lane, and beg permission to offer a few 
remarks before the offering is taken." 

"We will gladly hear you, Bro. Lampton." 
"I want to say, Mr. Chairman, that ever since I 
first read in the New Testament the history of the 
church established by Christ and His apostles, I have 
been an ardent admirer of that institution. But, as 
you know, it was not until four months ago that I 
united with the church. My reason for not doing so 
before was that I had little faith in a divided church. 
I never was able to harmonize denominationalism with 
the teaching of the New Testament, nor to see even any 
common sense in people claiming to be Christians 
dividing themselves up into rival groups and wasting 
their time, energy and means in fratricidal strife, while 
the work which God intended His church to do is 
compelled to go undone. But when I saw the members 
of four of the churches of this town breaking the 
fetters of denominationalism and uniting their forces, 
I felt it was a move in the right direction, and that 
I no longer had excuse for standing aloof, but owed 
to them whatever assistance I was capable of render- 
ing to make the union a success. And I want to say, 
brethren, that four months' fellowship with you in this 

226 



THE DEDICATION 



work has only strengthened my faith in the movement; 
and, now that the members of the Brethren Church 
have united with us, I feel that we are in a position 
to demonstrate to the world what a blessing the church 
of Christ may become to the people of a town or com- 
munity when conducted according to the New Testa- 
ment pattern. In the early church there was a com- 
mon treasury, into which loyal hearts poured their 
treasures of worldly wealth, and from which streams 
of charity flowed out toward every one in need, until 
it could be said of them, 'There was not one among 
them who lacked.' Brethren, that is just as it ought 
to be. God never intended that His children should 
have to appeal to the town board or to some fraternal 
organization for aid in time of need, but to the church 
itself. And my appeal upon this, our dedicatory and 
Thanksgiving Day, is that the fund already established 
be increased until all necessary aid can be extended 
from time to time to all who are in need.'* 

Had Judge Lampton been less modest he would, 
perhaps, have announced to the audience before taking 
his seat the purpose that was in his heart. Sufficient 
to say, however, that, when the offering was taken, 
Judge Lampton 's check for $5,000 was found in one 
of the baskets. Other checks, ranging in amount from 
$500 to $1,000, were also found. These, together with 
the smaller donations and the amount already in hand, 
footed up the grand total of more than $15,000. When 
the result of the offering was announced to the audi- 
ence, the building again rang with applause. When 
silence was finally restored, the chairman announced: 

227 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

**Now, brethren, this has been a blessed day for 
us all, and, like Peter upon the mountain-top, we are 
loath to leave; but it is now past the noon hour, and 
we shall have to adjourn. 

"To-morrow evening the Bible-school teachers will 
meet in the library building, for the purpose of better 
equipping themselves for teaching the Sunday morn- 
ing lesson. At 9 :30 Sunday morning we will have 
our first Bible-school service in this building, and to 
that service all are invited, whether they be young or 
old. At eleven o'clock Sunday morning and at eight 
in the evening there will be preaching by one of our 
pastors ; just which one it will be I am unable to say ; 
the preachers will arrange that among themselves. By 
the way, I am told that our preachers have experienced 
a little trouble at times deciding which should preach 
for the home church. The work has become so inter- 
esting at the several mission points that they esteem 
it a cross not to get to go. However, one of them will 
be with us on Sunday, and the others will go to meet 
other appointments. And now that we have another 
preacher added to our force, we shall have to open up 
another mission station. I have learned to-day that 
the new congregation over in the east section of the 
county will begin building in the very near future, and 
I predict it will not be long before the others will 
be building them a home. And let me say, brethren, 
that the eyes of all these missions are upon us. Our 
preachers have told them of the powerlessness of de- 
nominationalism to meet the needs of our people and 
of the blessings that have come to us in consequence 

228 



THE DEDICATION 



of our union, and they have become fully convinced 
that if denominationalism will not work in town, it 
will not work in the country, and in that conclusion 
they are right. A little figuring ought to convince 
any one that denominationalism will not work in the 
country. Take, for instance, a rural district eight 
miles square,* comprising sixty-four square miles of 
territory. This section, if cut up into farms of 160 
acres, would furnish homes for 256 families, or, count- 
ing five persons to the family, 1,280 persons. Of these, 
one-fourth, or 380, are too young for church member- 
ship. From the remaining 960 we shall have to deduct 
one-half, for it is a lamentable fact that denomina- 
tional Christianity has never succeeded in enlisting 
more than one-half of the American people; this leaves 
480 persons in that community available for church 
membership. Now, who will say that those 480 per- 
sons, by combining their strength, energy and means, 
couldn't build a church-house in that district that 
would be a credit to the community, and that would 
meet all the needs of the people of that district for a 
place of worship and Bible study? They could and 
would do it. Indeed, they could have a settled pastor 
dwelling among them and preaching for them every 
Lord's Day; and the influence of such a church upon 
the non- Christian element of that community would be 
to convince them that there was a reality in the Chris- 
tian religion, and the result would be a great reduction 
in the percentage of non- Christians in that community. 
While, upon the other hand, to divide those 480 persons 
up into six or eight different parties would render 

229 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

them powerless to do anything worthy the name of 
Christian work. The people in our several mission 
fields fully realize this fact, and the prevailing idea 
among them is to build a single church-house in each 
community, and let that be their religious home, while 
the Bible alone shall be their guide in all matters of 
Christian conduct. 

**So I feel, brethren, vve have much to be proud of 
in the work our missionaries are doing in their several 
fields. But while we have accomplished much, yet 
much remains to be accomplished. Not until the facts 
of the gospel have been proclaimed to the teeming 
millions of earth, and believers are taught to obey the 
Lord in all of His appointments, will our work as a 
church be done. Until then let us serve the Lord 
faithfully in whatever sphere we are placed, and I 
am sure God will richly reward us." 

The benediction was pronounced by Bro. Powell. 

Thus ended what was conceded by all to be the 
greatest religious service ever held in the little town 
of Alpha, and here we might write the word "Finis," 
but I can not refrain from noting another incident 
which grew out of this union of churches. 



230 



CHAPTER XXL 
THE CHURCH AT WORK 

JUST a week before Christmas, Messrs. Drew, Potter 
and others were engaged in hauling some household 
goods from the depot and depositing them in a neat 
little cottage, surrounded by a few acres of rich and 
fertile land, while several of the women were unpack- 
ing and placing in order the different articles. The 
furniture was somewhat old, and the many scars upon 
it were evidence of it having been moved about from 
place to place many times. And indeed it had been, 
for it was the property of an old Presbyterian preach- 
er, one whose whole life had been spent in an earnest 
effort to persuade men and women to live right in the 
sight of God. It was through his efforts that the 
Presbyterian Church in Alpha had been organized, and 
for twelve years he had served it in an acceptable 
manner. Though many of the people of the town dis- 
agreed with him in some of his interpretations of the 
Scriptures, yet all honored him for his integrity and 
good Christian character. Old age, however, had over- 
taken him at last, and had robbed him of his physical 
strength to that extent he was no longer able to preach 
regularly. For the past two years he and his enfeebled 
wife had made their home with their widowed daughter 

231 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

and her son, a boy of ten years, in the county-seat. 
Willingly the daughter had shared her meager income 
with her aged parents; but a week before the house- 
hold goods above mentioned were shipped to Alpha, 
she had sickened and died, thus depriving the old folks 
and her son of their principal means of support. 

When the brethren at Alpha heard of the daugh- 
ter's death, they at once sent Mr. Drew to the county- 
seat to investigate the case. He found several of the 
neighbors in consultation with the old preacher and his 
wife, and, without revealing to them his mission, he 
sat and listened to their conversation. 

"We think, Bro. Cooper," said one of them, **that 
the proper thing to do, under the circumstances, would 
be to let us find a home for the boy, and you and 
Sister Cooper go to the 'Old Folks' Home.' It will 
only require a hundred dollars each to get you ad- 
mitted, and then you would have a comfortable home 
the remainder of your days. By selling off your 
furniture and that of your daughter, you would, per- 
haps, have enough to admit you both. However, should 
any be lacking, we will see that it is raised." 

Not since John Drew used to argue with his neigh- 
bors at home about the foolishness and littleness of 
denominationalism had he experienced such a feeling of 
disgust as upon that occasion. Rising from his chair, 
he stepped directly in front of the old preacher, and 
said: 

''I don't know, Bro. Cooper, just how you regard 
the proposition which has just been made you, but, to 
my mind, it lacks fairness, to say the least of it. It 

232 



THE CHURCH AT WORK 



isn't fair, ladies and gentlemen, for a man to live 
among and serve the people of a given community as 
long as our brother here has served the people of this 
part of the State, and then, in the decrepitude of old 
age, send him off to some remote part of the State to 
end his days among 'strangers. However well he might 
be cared for there, he would miss, it seems to me, what 
to him would be the greatest pleasure of his life; viz., 
the daily intercourse with his friends." 

**You are right, Bro. Drew,'* replied the old 
preacher, as he wiped the tears from his face; "that 
is the main reason why I dislike so much to go." 

"Then you won't go, Bro. Cooper, for I am here 
as a representative of the church of Christ at Alpha to 
offer you a home in that town, where every person you 
meet will be your friend, by virtue of your long 
pastorate there. You won't find any Presbyterians 
there, but you will find as loyal a band of Christians 
as have graced the earth since the days of the apostles, 
and I am quite sure you will feel at home among them. 
Our plan is to locate you on a little suburban ranch, 
where you can amuse yourself raising garden truck, 
chickens, pigs, etc., and thus lead a sort of independent 
life." 

When Mr. Drew had finished, the old preacher 
arose, and, placing both arms about his neck, ex- 
claimed : 

"Bro. Drew, I have always felt that the spirit of 
Christ dwelt in the heart of many of the people of 
Alpha. My pastorate there was one of the most 
pleasant in all my long ministry, and with a grateful 

233 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

heart I accept their generous offer, and will go as soon 
as I can dispose of a few things we do not care to 
take with us." 

Mr. Drew arranged with one of the neighbors to 
assist in packing and shipping the goods, and then 
returned home. 

The goods arrived in the forenoon a few days later, 
and when the preacher, wife and grandson arrived late 
in the afternoon of the same day, they found the house 
all set in order, as far as it was possible for the women 
to do so. In addition, a bountiful supper had been 
prepared, and soon the aged minister, his wife and 
the several preachers of the town, together with a 
number of the brethren and sisters, were all seated at 
the table, enjoying the repast which loving hands had 
prepared in honor of two of Christ's servants, whom 
age had robbed of their powers of usefulness. 

When the meal was finished and the guests had 
enjoyed an hour or more of social intercourse, and 
were preparing to go, the old preacher said : 

*'Bro. Drew, I believe I never asked, nor have you 
told me, what rental I am expected to pay for these 
premises, and. to whom it is to be paid." 

''Why, my dear brother," said Mr. Drew, "the 
rental for these premises was paid in full by you years 
ago, when you were here ministering to these people 
in spiritual things. Doesn't Christ say, 'The laborer 
is worthy of his hire'? and doesn't Paul say, in sub- 
stance, that 'we are under obligations to look after the 
temporal needs of those who minister to us in spiritual 
things'?" 

234 



THE CHURCH AT WORK 



'*Yes, Bro. Drew, you have rightly quoted both 
Christ a^|d Paul. But these people did look after my 
temporal wants while I was here ministering to them; 
but my days of usefulness are about over, and I fear 
I shall not be able to render value for value." 

"That may be true, my brother, so far as the 
future is concerned. But let me say that, since the 
scales of denominationalism have fallen from the eyes 
of our people, they have conceived the idea that the 
man who spends his life in the interest of the cause 
of Christ is just as worthy of honor and a competency 
in his declining days as the one who spends his life in 
the interest of the State or nation, and, so far as the 
people of this town and community are concerned, we 
are determined they shall have it. To this end a great 
brotherhood has been formed out of the once rival sects, 
and it is this brotherhood that has invited you here, 
and bids you lean upon its strong arm in these, the 
declining days of your life.'* 

After the guests had all gone, and while they were 
sitting by the fire, the grandson having retired, the 
aged minister turned to his companion, and said: 

"Well, wife, it seems that the Lord, whom we have 
tried to serve all these years, is still with us, and 
intends to be with us to the end. With a reasonable 
degree of health and strength, and with our grandson 
to help us, I think we shall be able to make a com- 
fortable living here.'' 

"Yes, dear,'' responded his wife. "Perhaps, after 
all, we shall be permitted to witness a golden sunset at 
the end of life's troublous day." 

235 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

They were quite happy in their new home, and 
entered upon their duties with a zest akin %> that of 
newly married people. It was a great pleasure to them 
to have their old-time friends call to see them, and 
many were the happy hours spent in talking over past 
events. They were also regular in attendance at the 
church services, and apparently enjoyed them very 
much. But, notwithstanding the fact that scarcely a 
Sunday passed without one or more persons uniting 
with the church, yet they allowed several months to 
pass before formally connecting themselves with the 
congregation. This delay on the part of the aged min- 
ister and his wife to formally connect themselves with 
the church was the cause of considerable speculation on 
the part of some of the members. At the close of ojie 
of the morning services, during which several persons 
had made the confession, a group of persons were 
standing in the vestibule, when old Sister Noel ap- 
proached them, and asked: 

"Do any of you know why Bro. and Sister Cooper 
have not united with our church?'* 

After two or three had admitted their inability to 
enlighten her on the subject, Mr. Fillmore suggested 
that possibly it was the question of baptism that was 
holding them back. 

"You see," said he, "Bro. and Sister Cooper have 
never been immersed, and, as this church practices only 
immersion, perhaps they feel they would not be eligible 
to membership." 

"I have thought of that," replied Mr. Groves, "and 
wondered whether we should not make some excep- 

236 



THE CHURCH AT WORK 



tions to our rules in the matter of admitting persons 
to our fellowship. It seems to me that, if Bro. and 
Sister Cooper are satisfied with their baptism, we 
ought to be willing to receive them.'* 

"To do so, Bro. Groves, would only be to court 
division. We are united now, and let us remain so,'' 
Mr. Middleton replied. 

"I think I shall investigate the matter, any- 
way, and see if that is the cause of their standing 
aloof." 

The following evening Mr. Groves went to see the 
aged couple in their home, and had quite a lengthy 
conversation with them. What was said need not now 
be related. Sufficient to say that, in response to the 
invitation the following Lord's Day, the aged couple 
walked to the front and asked to be received into the 
fellowship of the church. Bro. Logan, the former 
Presbyterian minister, preached the sermon that morn- 
ing, and, after announcing to the audience that Bro. 
and Sister Cooper had come to the front to formally 
unite with the church, said: *'I much prefer that 
Bro. Cooper state his case to the congregation himself." 
Whereupon he arose and said: 

*' Brethren and sisters, my wife and I have been 
trying to serve the Lord for more than sixty years. 
During the greater part of that time I have been 
trying in an humble way to preach the gospel myself. 
But, as you know, old age has incapacitated me for 
such service, and, together with my wife, we are simply 
waiting for the summons to cross the mystic river and 
render account unto our Lord. A few months ago our 

237 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

widowed daughter, with whom we had been making our 
home, died, and we were left without any visible 
means of support. We were indeed in the midst of our 
Gethsemane when Bro. Drew, a representative of this 
congregation, came to us and offered us a home in this 
village. For several months now we have been enjoy- 
ing our home, and also the weekly services held in this 
magnificent temple which you have erected and dedi- 
cated to the service of the God whom we all love and 
adore. I must say, however, that our delight in the 
services has been hindered somewhat by the thought 
that we were not members of the congregation. Know- 
ing the position you had taken on the subject of 
baptism, we have felt a delicacy in asking to be 
received into your fellowship, as neither of us has 
ever been immersed. However, during the past week, 
in conversation with one of your members, it was 
suggested to me that possibly the congregation might 
be willing to make an exception to their rule in a case 
like ours. But, so far as we are concerned, the sug- 
gestion came too late, for during the past few months 
we have been studying the baptismal question in its 
relationship to the subject of Christian union as never 
before, with the result that we are both fully convinced 
that the position you have taken upon that subject 
is right, and that it is the only solution of the problem 
of Christian union. 

**That immersion was the practice of the early 
church is clearly proven by history, both secular and 
divine. The Greek Church has always practiced it. 
The Roman Church admits it was the practice of the 

238 



THE CHURCH AT WORK 



early clmrcli, and claims the honor (?) of changing 
the form from immersion to sprinkling. Luther, Cal- 
vin and Wesley all admitted that immersion was the 
practice of the apostles. Paul declares there is 'one 
baptism/ and the same apostle declares 'we are buried 
with Christ by baptism'; and, with these facts staring 
them in the face, there are thousands of people in the 
world — yea, millions of them — whose consciences will 
not permit them to practice nor sanction any other 
form of baptism than that of immersion; and it is 
folly for us to expect such persons to dwell together 
in unity with those who practice sprinkling or pouring. 
While, upon the other hand, there are very few, if any, 
even among those who practice sprinkling or pouring, 
but are willing to admit the validity of immersion. 
As for myself, I have never hesitated to receive into 
the fellowship of the church persons who had been 
immersed. 

''So it seems to me, brethren, in view of the utter 
impossibility of ever getting all Christians to recognize 
the validity of sprinkling or pouri^ig, that it is our 
duty who practice these forms to discontinue them, 
since, in doing so, we are removing one of the greatest 
barriers that stand in the way of the union of God's 
people, and, at the same time, doing it without any 
sacrifice of conscience; for we all admit that a penitent 
believer in Christ, buried with his Lord in a watery 
grave, and raised in the likeness of His resurrection 
from the tomb, has been baptized. So, instead of 
asking for an exception to your rule in the matter of 
receiving us into your fellowship, both my wife and I 

239 



HOW CHRISTIAN UNITY CAME TO ALPHA 

have come to conform to your custom in the matter of 
our baptism/' 

When the aged minister had resumed his seat, Bro. 
Logan arose and said: 

"Brethren, this is one of the happiest days of my 
life. I am happy because of the triumph of God's 
truth. Here is a man who, for more than half a cen- 
tury, has been preaching the gospel of the Son of 
God; yet, having discovered a new truth, he is deter- 
mined to follow its lead. In doing so, he is adminis- 
tering a withering rebuke to those who, having started 
a certain way, think they " must continue in that way, 
whether it be the way that truth directs or no. It is 
also a rebuke to those who have conceived the idea 
that the ordinances of the Lord's house may be 
changed with impunity or entirely ignored, if neces- 
sary, in order to suit the convenience of men. I am 
fully convinced, brethren, that we preachers have 
wasted a great deal of precious time trying to make the 
way of life easy for the people to travel. What truly 
penitent men and women want is a 'clear knowledge 
of the will of God concerning them, and, when they 
know His will, they are ready and willing to do it, 
even though, as in the case of these two, it requires a 
goodly degree of moral courage to make them equal 
to the task." 

A nod in the direction of the chorister was the 
signal for a song, and soon the whole audience was 
engaged in singing that old hymn beginning "My 
faith looks up to Thee." 

When the stng had ended, Bro. Logan, the aged 
minister and his wife were all standing at the head 

240 



THE CHURCH AT WORK 



of the baptistery. Turning to the audience, Bro. Logan 
said: 

''Brethren, with no disrespect to my Lord and 
Master, and with no thought of comparing this with 
the scene of His baptism, yet the words of John the 
immerser, 'I have need to be baptized of ihee, ' very 
fitly describe my feeling as I stand here beside this 
aged veteran of the cross. Yet, believing that the same 
motive which led Christ to the Jordan has led him here, 
and that it would be just as useless for me to object 
as it was for John of old, I shall concede to his re- 
quest and that of his wife, and administer to them 
this sacred ordinance, in what I sincerely believe to be 
the Lord's appointed way." 

A spirit of solemnity pervaded the audience as the 
aged couple, each in turn, suffered themselves to be 
lowered in the watery grave. But when the last had 
emerged, and the chorus began to sing, 

* * land of rest, for thee I sigh. 
When will the moment come 
When I shall lay my armor by, 
And dwell with Christ at hoone, " 

the congregation awoke as from a dream and joined in 
the chorus, 

' ' We '11 work till Jesns comes, ' ' 

with an earnestness and zeal that betokened a definite 
purpose on the part of the Alpha congregation, now 
numbering nearly seven hundred souls, to keep the 
altar fires burning and their armor bright with Chris- 
tian service until the Lord should call them home. 

THE END. 
241 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper proc« 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2006 

PreservationTechnologu 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATI 
1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township. PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



